Felix Nmecha put in a hero’s shift as Borussia Dortmund sealed a 2-1 win over SV Elversberg this afternoon. The central midfielder struck twice after the break to ensure victory for the hosts who stay level with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich into the international break.
A rather quiet beginning to the action ended after the sixth minute when Lukas Petkov got space to work the gloves of Gregor Kobel. All in all, it was a comfortable start to life at the 81,365-seater colosseum, although Dortmund also began to string neat passes together.
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The in-form Fábio Silva almost pulled off the sublime on the break, attempting to catch Nicolas Kristof out. His speculative effort from near halfway only found the side-netting. Silva would fail to capitalise on yet another chance shortly before the half-hour mark.
Felix Nmecha’s saved shot came back at the striker quickly who couldn’t direct it to the net. Both sides soon lost players to injury – Carney Chukwuemeka and Lukas Pinckert unable to see out a half that ended scoreless despite Francis Onyeka going close from range late on.
Kostas Karetsas and Onyeka drew saves from both Kristof and Kobel after the break. The opening goal was just around the corner. Silva held onto possession and picked out Nmecha on the edge of the box. The German arrowed his shot clinically inside the lower left post.
A venomously struck free kick followed from Petkov – Kobel was an equal match. Aside from another Kristof intervention to keep out Silva, the game remained end-to-end. Ex-BVB talent Cole Campbell came in for the visitors, briefly threatening with a mazy dribble.
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However, Nmecha soon stepped up to the plate again, rifling in a bullet from distance as the breaking ball fell kindly for him. Elversberg delivered a wonderful response as Florian Le Joncour’s redirected ball was drilled to the net superbly by an acrobatic Noel Futkeu finish.
That set up a grand slam ending, with the gutsy Saarland guests surging forward with hope. Substitute forward Adam Raif was next to test Kobel. A flurry of Keidel set-pieces in injury time came close, but Niko Kovač’s side hung on to the maximum reward for a 2-1 triumph.
