Jurgen Klopp achieved his 100th Bundesliga win with a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Braunschweig, but it was not one of his most straightforward.
Borussia Dortmund were frustrated in the first half and were unable to break the deadlock. In the end they were saved by their bench as substitutes Johan Hofmann and Marco Reus (penalty) put them 2-0 up.
Braunschweig managed a late consolation through a Robert Lewandowski own goal, but despite a nervy finish Dortmund held on for the points.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello all! Thanks for joining me for today's second Bundesliga game. We have last year's runners-up Dortmund against new side Braunschweig.
I've just about got time for the teams before kickoff, so here they come!
DORTMUND XI: Weidenfeller; Grosskreutz, Sokratis, Hummels, Schmelzer; Bender, Sahin; Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang; Lewandowski
BRAUNSCHWEIG XI: Davari; Bicakcic, Elabdellaoui, Reichel, Correia; Hochscheidt, Theuerkauf, Kratz, Kruppke, Caligiuri; Jackson
The injury to Ilkay Gundogan means that Nuri Sahin starts alongside Sven Bender. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang starts on the left following his hat-trick, with Robert Lewandowski up front. Roman Weidenfeller is in and Sokratis Papastathopoulos is in for Neven Subotic. Henrikh Mkitharyan also gets a start.
KICKOFF: Here we go then. The visitors get us underway. Will they upset the odds today?
CHANCE! Huge early chance for Braunschweig. Grosskreutz slipped which allowed a cross in for Kruppke, but he just could not convert it.
Still Dortmund just cannot get into the game and are defending quite desperately in truth. The visitors are passing it around well and look confident in what on paper is their second trickiest league fixture.
Mkhitaryan does really well there to turn on a sixpence. He finds Grosskreutz but the right-back's cross is blocked for a corner. From it Blaszczykowski crosses it straight to Davari, who claims.
Jurgen Klopp, who looks like he is in disguise today in a long coat and baseball cap, is animated on the sidelines as his side finally put together some crisp passes.
Mkhitaryan has been the hosts' most lively player at the start of this game. He tries to combine again with Grosskreutz, but cannot gather the return ball. Dortmund are starting to press further and further up the pitch until the referee stops play as Reichel goes down injured.
Apart from that early chance, there haven't been many others thus far. The minnows are giving an excellent account of themselves so far and despite a couple of mazy runs from Mkhitaryan their defence has held up well.
Aubameyang cuts on from the left at pace, which livens up the crowd a little. Dortmund try to work a chance for the former Saint-Etienne man but he's just beaten to it by Davari after his back four parted.
First sighting of Lewandowski as he combines well with Mkhitaryan and Blaszczykowski but the latter is tackled at the last second by Bicakcic as he was about to pull the trigger.
The game is still struggling to get into a rhythm. The visitors are tackling hard, but fair, which is obstructing Dortmund's attempt to play. The hosts are also suffering from some poor passing, particularly from the back.
Another wayward pass this time from Mats Hummels as he looked for Aubameyang on the left. Even with the mishit passes, Dortmund are in control as Mkhitaryan strikes over from just outside the box.
Threatening attack for Braunschweig as Simeon Jackson tries to cut into the box past Hummels, but the German international defends superbly to win the goal kick.
Reichel and Kruppke combine down the left as the former looks to find an opportunity to cross. But it's Grosskreutz who defends well this time, as he wins the throw after marking tightly.
Better from Dortmund. They pass patiently with Blaszczykowski playing a one-two with Mkhitaryan. His cross falls to Sahin, who takes a couple of touches and strikes with his right foot but it goes over from range.
A careless pass from Sokratis allows the visitors a sniff of the Dortmund box. It comes to Reichel on the left and he wins a corner off Blaszczykowski in front of the yellow wall.
CLOSE! A couple of chances for the visitors there. Initially Sokratis blocks a shot, but it falls to Theuerkauf who hits a volley from the edge of the box and sends a skidding effort narrowly wide.
Braunschweig are on top of this now for sure. As I say that Aubameyang is found by Lewandowski down the left, but they're forced back after the visitors close every gap.
Whistles are starting to ring out around Signal Iduna Park. The players respond with Mkhitaryan too quick for Caligiuri and being brought down. At around 30 yards out, this is a dangerous free kick. Sahin steps up...
CLOSE! The Yellow Wall is celebrating, because from their view that looks in. In truth, Sahin's effort went just over and nestled down behind the net. Very good effort.
Everyone was anticipating a hammering here for Braunschweig, but instead they have applied themselves superbly. Here they come again down the left with Jackson turning in the box, but his shot from the angle was never likely to beat Weidenfeller, who collects.
Lewandowski turns and drives at the defence, but he's immediately surrounded by four white shirts. Dortmund lose the ball and Braunschweig ping it to Jackson, but Hummels again defends superbly against him.
CHANCE: Half-chance for BVB. Sahin swings in a free kick after Blaszczykowski was fouled by Caligiuri. Lewandowski meets the fast, swinging ball but can only direct his header over the bar under pressure.
Still Dortmund cannot find a way through the wall of white. It really is crying out for Marco Reus - Klopp's decision to put Aubameyang on the left has not worked out in this half. One minute of time to be added on.
HALF-TIME: Dortmund 0-0 Braunschweig
A frustrating half for Dortmund ends goalless. In truth, the chances have been just about level, even if the hosts have seen more of the ball. They need a way to unlock this very well organised visiting defence.
Of course, as I mentioned, Reus is a master key who can get into any safe or bank. He did not start, with Aubameyang switched to the left in order to keep him in the team for Lewandowski. It has not really worked, despite the Gabonese's best efforts. Reus instead would add the uncertainty and trickery that is required here.
Braunschweig will naturally be delighted with their opening 45. Yes, they've kept their illustrious opponents at bay, but they have also threatened at the other end. There was an excellent chance early on for Kruppke, and Theuerkauf also went narrowly wide with a volley.
I would expect Klopp to stick with the current team for another 10-15 minutes and then change things. The players are coming back out so we're nearly ready to get back underway.
KICKOFF: The visitors kick us back off. No changes as yet - can Dortmund have more joy this half?
The second half has started in similar fashion. Dortmund are seeing a lot of the ball, but the compact Braunschweig are still letting nothing through.
The visitors pinch the ball back and Hochscheidt tries to get in behind with an excellent run, but Weidenfeller is out quick to gather the ball - that could have been dangerous. Dortmund straight back on the ball, however. Marcel Schmelzer goes down on the edge of the box, but nothing given.
Fine effort from Bender from outside the box. He hits it low and hard but just past the far post. Lewandowski finds Blaszczykowski with a header, who in turn flicks it to Schmelzer. The wing-back drives into the box with the loose ball falling to Sahin, who slashes over the bar.
Braunschweig waste a rare foray forward. Elabdellaoui sprints ahead of his man on the overlap, but once getting the ball his pass goes out for a goal kick. Back to his position he trots to defend another Dortmund attack. Lewandowski's turn to shoot from distance, but it's well over. Are they getting a bit desperate?
Excellent from Schmelzer, who cuts in and finds Blaszczykowski. The Pole tries to cross to his international teammate but Braunschweig clear their lines once more.
The offside flag saves Aubameyang's blushes. Grosskreutz finds him in the box, but he cannot beat Davari from point-blank range. However, the flag was raised as he had gone just too early.
BOOKING: First card of the match and Norman Theuerkauf knows what he's doing to pull back Lewandowski and stop the counter. Here comes Reus on 60 minutes as I thought. It's Blaszczykowski, though, and not Aubameyang who makes way.
Aubameyang is looking threatening since being switched to the right. He wins a corner after his cross was deflected, which Reus clips in. Bender, diving away from goal, gets his head on it but it would have been a remarkable effort even to hit the target.
Still Dortmund try to find a way through but still the ball comes all the way back via Braunschweig. The visitors win a corner with Elabdellaoui bursting forward. The visitors make a change or two as Timo Perthel comes on for Caligiuri and Mirko Boland comes on for Hochscheidt.
Reus has the ball in the net, but he was offside from Aubameyang's pass. The Yellow Wall celebrates, but Reus knew he was off. That's a hint of the threat he possesses, however, when he drifts off the shoulder of his man.
MISS! What a chance for Aubameyang. The ball pings about in the box and eventually falls to the new man, but he skews his volley at the far post over. Jonas Hofmann then comes on for him - no goal today.
CHANCE! Another one falls Dortmund's way and this time it's Mkhitaryan. He's in close but his powerful effort is blocked away and the chance has gone. Surely they will be able to grab one with all this pressure?
CHANCES! Davari first keeps out Mkhitaryan, but the ball then falls to Lewandowski, whose touch on the six-yard box is terrible and the goalkeeper can gather!
A lot of expectant supporters. Will almost 80,200 people be disappointed??
Die Zuschauerzahl: Borussia Dortmund bedankt sich bei 80.200 Zuschauern! // 80.200 spectators today. Nearly sold out. #bvbbtsv — Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) August 18, 2013
GOAL! Dortmund 1-0 Braunschweig (Jonas Hofmann)
No, they won't! It's heartbreak for the visitors, but what an assist from Hummels! The youngster Hofmann plays the one-two with the centre-back, whose return pass is a quite magnificent defence-splitting backheel, which is finished from a tight angle. Finally Dortmund lead.
BRAUNSCHWEIG SUB: Orhani Ademi comes on for Kruppke for the visitors as they now chase the game.
Good run for Reus, who cuts in from the left and has his shot blocked. Mkhitaryan, latching on to the rebound, backs into a defender and goes down - nothing given. In fact, that was an awful attempt at winning a penalty.
SAVE! Good stop there from Davari from a powerful Lewandowski strike. It's at a decent height to tip it over, but he still had to get there.
Braunschweig have lacked ideas this half and they're rapidly running out of time. I think their best hope was hanging on for the 0-0, but it now looks as though they will start the season with a brace of 1-0 defeats.
PENALTY TO DORTMUND!
GOAL! Dortmund 2-0 Braunschweig (Marco Reus, pen)
The lively Hofmann is brought down by Bicakcic. He might have got a slight touch but it was a lazy lunge in truth. Reus steps up to send Davari the wrong way and slots it into the bottom right corner. That is it now - I don't think stranger things have happened than them getting two back here.
GOAL! Dortmund 2-1 Braunschweig (Lewandowski o.g.)
GOAL! Dortmund 2-1 Braunschweig (Lewandowski o.g.)
Well, what do I know?! A corner is fizzed in, which ends up coming off the back of Lewandowski's head and into the net. Their fans celebrate, but I don't think it will make a difference now. Two minutes of time added on.
DORTMUND SUB: Mkhitaryan comes off. He played well early on, but faded. Marvin Ducksch comes on for him for the final minute.
Kratz plays a great ball in and Sokratis has to hook clear! Close, but that will be it.
FULL-TIME: Dortmund 2-1 Braunschweig
Thanks for joining me for Klopp's 100th Bundesliga win. It won't go down as one of his most comfortable, but Dortmund did just enough in the end. See you all soon, goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
