When Edin Terzic took over from the recently deposed Lucien Favre, and for large parts of the season since, the possibility of ending the season with silverware and a spot in the top four seemed rather far-fetched. But here we are. Borussia Dortmund currently sit fourth in the league, and last night they lifted the DFB-Pokal for the fifth time in the club’s history. For a lifelong BVB fan and someone that has worked at he club for many years, this has been an incredible journey for Edin Terzic. It was a great moment seeing him win a trophy for his club.

There were many incredibly pure moments last night, from Sancho giving up the chance at his hattrick to try and get Reus on the scoresheet, to all the players wearing the shirts of players that were injured and unable to make the matchday squad. But the best moment of all was probably Lukasz Piszczek crying his eyes out after the game, with his teammates swarming him to celebrate the moment with a club legend.

Here are our player ratings for yesterday’s game:

Starting XI

Roman Burki

Paul: 7

A couple sketchy moments but otherwise he delivered. He deserves a ton of credit for coming in, after being dropped, in such a high-pressure situation, and doing his job well. That isn’t easy.

Sean: 7

He made a few routine saves here and there. Leipzig had a tendency to shoot dribblers right into him, so he wasn’t challenged very much, but it was a solid effort.

Łukasz Piszczek

Paul: 8

Sean: 8

Legend.

Photo by Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images

Manuel Akanji

Paul: 8

Akanji had an excellent game, and was assured in defense and in possession.

Sean: 8

In the second half, when BVB’s midfield began to collapse, Akanji was a key member of the back line that held firm.

Mats Hummels

Paul: 6

Sean: 6

He looked his age almost more than Piszczek did!

Raphael Guerreiro

Paul: 7

Sean: 6

He had a few ugly turnovers, especially in the second half when Leipzig began to press harder.

Emre Can

Paul: 5

Can was just a little too amped up for the final. He calmed down a bit in the second half, but throughout the first half he looked like the player that gets themselves sent off not for anything egregious, but for too many full-blooded, mistimed tackles because they’re just too eager.

Sean: 5

I agree with Paul’s assessment.

Mo Dahoud

Paul: 8

Sean: 7

The Mighty Mo registered a primary assist, a secondary assist, and was vital in progressing the ball in the first half.

Jude Bellingham

Paul: 6

Got himself booked relatively early on, having clattered a couple RB Leipzig players in the first half. I’m sure that slowed them down a bit, but ultimately, with a 3-0 lead, it was in BVB’s best interests to bring him off at halftime and avoid going down to 10 men.

Sean: 6

Marco Reus

Paul: 9

Sean: 9

The Captain rose to the occasion in a big way. He didn’t score a goal, but he did just about everything else. He could’ve had a goal when Erling Haaland played him into the empty space in front of Leipzig’s net, but he chose to unselfishly lay the ball off to a cutting Jadon Sancho. He should’ve had another assist, but Thorgan Hazard scuffed a tap-in. I’ve heard various idiots online claim that Marco doesn’t show up in big games. This game was just one more piece of evidence that this is utter nonsense.

Jadon Sancho

Paul: 9

He was a little sloppy in the second half, otherwise he could have earned a 10.

Sean: 9

I agree. Like the rest of the squad, Sancho took his foot off the pedal in the second half. He had a chance to score a fourth goal in the second half when he went around goalkeeper Peter Gulasci, but instead of simply putting his left boot through the ball for an easy goal, he instead bizarrely took it onto his right, giving time for Gulasci to lunge back and block the shot.

Erling Haaland

Paul: 8

His second goal was a little lucky, but the first was a thing of beauty. He absolutely bodied Upamecano, and left the young lad trying to work out what just happened (he tends to be the one giving, not receiving).

Sean: 8

He scores when he wants. Even when he slips on his ass.

Substitutes

Thorgan Hazard

Paul: 5

It wasn’t Hazard’s day. He came on at half-time but then had to spend most of the game in his own half helping the defensive efforts. When he did get a chance in front of goal, it was an open net and what should have been the fourth goal, but he fluffed his lines and somehow managed to put it wide. It didn’t really matter in the end, and it wasn’t all his fault (the ball from Reus wasn’t ideal), but he didn’t really manage to leave his mark on the game.

Sean: 5

Thomas Delaney

Paul: 7

Sean: 6

Thomas Meunier

N/A

Gio Reyna

N/A

Julian Brandt

N/A

Overall

Paul: 9

Borussia Dortmund were brilliant in the first half, and blew away their opponents, all but settling things in the first 45 minutes. They struggled a little bit in the second half, but I don’t think that was really because of anything they were doing wrong. RB Leipzig came out firing and there was little Dortmund could do other than soaking up the pressure and defending their lead. RB Leipzig got their goal, and perhaps BVB should have been quicker to close down Dani Olmo, but ultimately it was a cracking shot and there wasn’t a lot that could be done about it. It’s hard to complain about a 4-1 dismantling of such a high quality moment. It wasn’t completely perfect, but that’s an unreasonable expectation in a cup final against a top team. It was all we needed though.

Sean: 9

Look, I obviously don’t like the way BVB backed off during the second half and they easily could’ve been punished for it, but let’s face it, that game was awesome. BVB ripped apart Leipzig in the first half, and the only reason they backed off at all in the second half was because they had a three goal lead and could afford to. BVB fully deserved the trophy. The win affirmed that Dortmund are still clearly the number two in Germany, regardless of what the Bundesliga table says.