Match Ratings: Donyell Malen Leads BVB Past 1860 Munich

Dortmund completed their first competitive test of the season against 1860 Munich, notching three goals in the first half to secure the victory. Several standout performances from the attackers and plenty of resolute work in the midfield left the defenders and goalkeeper with little to do. Dortmund’s new look-back line will not be clamoring for more work, though, and Gregor Kobel will be thrilled to bag his first clean sheet of the season. Here are our thoughts on each player’s performance from the first round of the DfB Pokal.

Starting XI

Gregor Kobel

Patrick: 6

Quiet game for Kobel. Did fine when called upon but I did notice 3-4 moments where he looked uneasy after receiving a pass from the defenders. Not exactly a big issue, just something that should be ironed out before facing Bundesliga competition.

Yash: 6

Not really threatened (except by that awful Schlotterbeck pass). Mainly involved in passing around the back. Solid but unspectacular.

Thomas Meunier

Patrick: 6

Again, quiet game defensively for Meunier as he wasn’t called on to do much. In possession, he was given a bit of freedom to push up the field but the end product wasn’t quite there. I think he’s still building that playing chemistry with Adeyemi.

Yash: 6

Played well and was involved in the buildup. There were a couple of moments when he and Adeyemi were not quite on the same wavelength, but chemistry will take time to build.

Niklas Süle:

Patrick: 7

Asked to do very little in the 45 minutes he played but did the job to keep Munich at bay. I wasn’t overly impressed when he had the ball at his feet, but I love seeing Süle barrel through guys. I don’t think I will get tired of it this season.

Yash: 6.5

The big man came up against the hard-working (but unsupported) Lakenmacher and gave away a needless free kick. Passed well. Already working well with Schlotterbeck.

Nico Schlotterbeck

Patrick: 8

I’m impressed. Nico was easily one of the most involved players in this game and it felt like every time we had the ball, it funneled through him. Had the defensive highlight of the game when he perfectly timed a tackle to smother an 1860 attack. Can’t wait to see more from him!

Yash: 8

See above. Looked wonderfully composed on the ball (apart from that horror pass in the first few minutes). Completed 138 passes, and had the most touches of any outfield player. An accomplished debut.

Raphael Guerreiro

Patrick: 8

Plenty of opportunities to attack and no defensive work required? That’s the perfect Rapha combo. Reminded us that he’s still one of the best left-backs in the world when he has the ball at his feet. Will be interesting to see how he does against higher competition but until then, Rapha haters should hold their tongue.

Yash: 8

0 defensive work + complete creative freedom = Rapha at his best. Heavily involved going forward and combined neatly with Reus and the reborn Malen. We shall wait and see how he does against Leverkusen.

Jude Bellingham

Patrick: 8

This guy is incredible. Every time I watch Bellingham play, I set the standards higher. Every time he plays, he exceeds my expectations. He’s a fantastic mix of energy, attitude, physicality, and talent. By the end of the game, it felt like he was the only one playing with 100% tempo. Got a goal to show for his efforts today and I can’t wait to watch him the rest of the season.

Yash: 8

This guy does not stop improving. Played at 100 miles an hour throughout and got a goal to show for it. Fully deserves to be third in line for the captaincy.

Mahmoud Dahoud

Patrick: 7

While Bellingham was the focus point of Dortmund’s midfield, Dahoud quietly ran it in the back. Acted as the shuttle between defensive and offense and was often tasked with switching play between the wings. One thing I found very interesting is that Dahoud looks incredibly lethal from the edge of the box. Three seasons ago, every time Dahoud shot it was destined for the nosebleeds but now he looks like a sharpshooter. Even though neither of his two shots went in today, I’m sure we’ll see a couple of Dahoud goals this season.

Yash: 8

I love Mo. Did all the dirty work behind the scenes, allowing Bellingham to play with his usual freedom. Neat in possession, combative out of it, and nearly scored an absolute screamer. He was at his best under Terzić, and this is a really encouraging performance. Too early to start a campaign demanding that he travel to Qatar? Probably a little bit.

Marco Reus

Patrick: 8

I’m pretty sure Marco Reus is the combined age of every other Dortmund attacker on the field today. As Dortmund’s elder statement, Reus showcased talent every time he touched the ball. Got a fantastic assist to Bellingham. Doesn’t quite have the physicality he once did but that’s okay. The kids will handle all the sprinting, and Reus will keep everything connected like he did today.

Yash: 8

Old Kapitän does it again. Looks a little slower and probably should have scored just before the hour mark, but as sharp as ever. Outstanding in combination and hard-working as always. Finished the game with 4 key passes and an assist. A typically well-rounded performance.

Karim Adeyemi

Patrick: 7

Malen definitely stole the headlines but Adeyemi plays with a spark! I loved his energy although he seemed a bit too eager at times. His goal was almost certainly offside so I won’t praise him for that too much. The most indicative moment for him today was when he foolishly lost possession then proceeded to sprint 30 yards and win the ball back while still getting mad at himself. Obviously has the right attitude, just has to build some chemistry with the team.

Yash: 6.5

Looked promising and energetic, but out of sync with Reus and completely overshadowed by Malen. Got an extremely lucky goal that slightly sweetened an otherwise sub-par performance. I was really skeptical about BVB signing him. Am I sold? Not quite, but his attitude and work rate were great, and he will (hopefully) only improve from here.

Youssoufa Moukoko

Patrick: 4

Very quiet game from Moukoko. He’s still 17 but this is the type of competition he played against when he was destroying people for Dortmund II. Had only 17 touches and showed that he shouldn’t be our sole striker solution despite his obvious talent.

Yash: 5

I feel bad for Mouki. He looked completely isolated up front, flanked by two wingers who showed little to no interest in providing him with support. He worked hard and was in and around the right positions for the most part, but things didn’t seem to be falling for him. Produced a moment of magic, though, which is hopefully a sign of things to come. Fink may have been a better choice, especially given 1860’s deeper and more physical backline.

Donyell Malen

Patrick: 9

No surprise, Malen is my man of the match. Played a fantastic game. Compared to last season, he seems more physically robust and willing to drive towards goal. His ability to get shots off as quickly as he does will be an invaluable asset to Dortmund this season, he just has to keep them on target like he did today.

Yash: 8.75

His best performance in a BVB shirt so far. Terrorized 1860 with his turn of pace and quick shooting. Combined really well with Guerreiro for the most part. I’m being nit-picky and not giving him a 9, because I was disappointed with the quality of his delivery into the box, and I think he could have done a better job supporting Moukoko. Looks like a big season incoming for him, though.

Substitutes

Mats Hummels

Patrick: 6

Decent game from Hummels considering he played only 45 minutes after everything simmered down. Looks slightly off the pace and age may be catching up to him. Still, terrific passer and is important in possession.

Yash: 6.5

Didn’t have a ton to do. Only misplaced one pass in the entirety of his 45-minute spell. Calm as always.

Marius Wolf

Patrick: 5

#UnleashTheWolf. The game was over by the time he came on but still showed himself to be an important depth piece. Will be interesting to see how involved he is once Morey comes back.

Yash: N/A

Didn’t have enough time, but looks tough and hard-working as usual. His versatility will be important for the season.

Thorgan Hazard

Patrick: 5

Played 14 minutes and didn’t have time to showcase his skills. Still, will be an important rotation option across the length of the season.

Yash: N/A

Didn’t have enough time. Will be interesting to see how he adapts to being used as a squad rotation player this season

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Patrick: 5

Played 24 minutes and didn’t have much of an impact. Still looks slightly awkward as if he is figuring out where to be when the team has possession but I’m sure he will figure it out.

Yash: 5

Looked lively, but didn’t have much time to settle. Could have made a real chance late on with numbers in the box, but got caught up doing pointless stepovers.

Overall

Patrick: 9

I know I gave a lot of 5s, 6s, and 7s but overall was a 9 performance. Everyone did their job, which wasn’t much, and got the expected result. In the first game of the season, you don’t have to be playing at the best of your ability to put together a terrific performance against lower opposition. Almost considered making it a 10/10 because no one was injured.

Yash: 8.5

80%+ possession and 25 shots to 1 shows how utterly dominant BVB were. That said, 1860 came across as an unimaginative, sloppy bunch (with the exception of the rather Haaland-esque Lakenmacher), so I’d take this dominance with a pinch of salt. The front 3’s struggle to combine, even when supported by players like Reus, Dahoud, and Bellingham is concerning, but should work itself out over time. A solid win, but I’m not sure we’re entirely out of the woods yet.