story of my season BORUSSIA DORTMUND | DIE SCHWARZGELBEN ANGRIFF - BUNDESLIGA MATCHDAY 17 - DUSSELDORF UPDATE POSTED - Page 2

 SEPTEMBER 15TH 2012 - DORTMUND SURVIVE SCARE TO BEAT FRANKFURT 

 'Filipe Santana's first goal of the season was enough for Borussia
 Dortmund to see off Frankfurt to go two points behind Hannover'





MATCH STATS | RATINGS


The Bundesliga champions prepared for their Champions League game against Valencia in midweek with a win  but it wasn't all smooth sailing for Dortmund as they could only muster a 2-1 win against their opponents. Despite their dominance over Frankfurt, Ciaran O'Donnell watched his Dortmund side fail to convert their chances for a greater margin, a problem that has plagued his side throughout the first three games of the season. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about this right now. We had chances to see off Bayern last week we didn't take and this week shouldn't have been close." stated the Dortmund manager but he was quick to defend his team as well. "I said I was concerned but I know that the team is getting used to the new tactics and style of play. If this was a few months later then I'd be very concerned but right now, it's nothing to push the panic button over."

Despite starting brightly, Dortmund found themselves going behind when Martin Lanig beat Filipe Santana at the back and Robert Weidenfella was left helpless to the striker's impressive finish but Frankfurt's lead didn't last that long. Robert Lewandowski continued his impressive start to the season when he finished an impressive passing move to equalize for the champions just three minutes later. The Polish striker and Mario Gotze had a number of chances at the start of the second half to put Dortmund in front but it was Santana who scored the winner for O'Donnell's side when he found himself on the end of Gotze's corner nine minutes from time and keep Dortmund's unbeaten start to the season and their unbeaten domestic record alive.

Next up for Dortmund is a trip to Spain in the Champions League, a tournament that the Glasgow Manager is relishing taking part in. "This is the very top of club management and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be in this position. We have tough group with Chelsea and Valencia but it doesn't mean that we won't go out there and expect to win." Afterwards, Dortmund will return to the Westfalenstadion to face Hoffenheim




Felipe Santana's winner kept Dortmund's 33 unbeaten
streak going after a come from behind win over Frankfurt


BUNDESLIGA MATCHDAY THREE RESULTS
Hoffenheim 2-0 Stuttgart (Fri)
Augsburg 2-2 Hamburg
Bayern Munich 0-0 Furth
FRANKFURT 1-2 DORTMUND
Werder Bremen 0-0 Mainz
Wolfsburg 2-2 Monchengladbach
Schalke 0-2 Leverkusen (18:30)
Frieburg 1-4 Hannover (Sun)
Nurnberg 1-0 Dusseldorf (Sun)

 SEPTEMBER 19TH 2012 - VALENCIA HUMBLED BY DORTMUND 

 'Ciaran O'Donnell's first Champions League outing as a manager
ended in success as Borussia Dortmund defeated Valencia.'





MATCH STATS | RATINGS


Two goals from Robert Lewandowski in the first half were enough to put Dortmund in control of the game while a disciplined defensive display from O'Donnell's men kept the ever present threat of Robert Soldado at bay throughout what many are calling Dortmund's best display under the Scot. "Tonight, we showed everyone why we're not going to be pushed over. We came to one of the toughest venues in Europe and left with victory." stated O'Donnell in the post match interview.

Dortmund started off the game the stronger of the two teams but it was Andras Guardado who nearly gave Valencia the lead before a goal-line clearance from Ivan Perisic before two chances fell to Jakob Blaszcykowski but the Polish International couldn't convert. Dortmund eventually took the lead through Lewandowski when he beat the offside trap following Ivan Perisic's through ball and Diego Alves was left helpless when against the Dortmund striker. It didn't take long for Dortmund to double their lead six minutes later when Mario Gotze's pass let Lewandowski through again and he powered the ball into the net, leaving the fans in the Mestalla completely dejected. The home side couldn't seem to trouble the Bundesliga champions and found themselves forced to play balls in early when Guardado was closed down at every opportunity and Hummels and Santana kept Soldado out of the game. After a largely uneventful second half and Dortmund unable to make their superior number of chances count. But it was a failed clearance by Diego Alves that compounded Valencia's night when it fell straight to Ikay Gundogan and the midfielder scored his first Dortmund goal in impressive style. With Alves out of his goal, Gundogan hit the ball first time from forty yards to silence the Valencia support again and end the game as a contest.

Elsewhere in the group, defending champions Chelsea started their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panathinaikos in a frustrating game for the English side. It took 85 minutes before Fernando Torres gave Chelsea the win. Dortmund will host Chelsea in the next Group G game in two weeks in Germany. 



A double from Robert Lewandowski put Valencia to the sword at the
Mestalla as Dortmund made an impressive start to their European run


SELECT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHDAY ONE RESULTS
(A) Bayern Munich 2-2 Galatasaray
(B) Juventus 3-3 Shakhtar
(B) Real Madrid 2-0 Monchengladbach
(C) Manchester United 4-1 Udinese
(D) Malaga 0-2 Arsenal
(E) AC Milan 0-1 Manchester City
(E) Red Bull Salzburg 2-3 PSG
(F) Celtic 2-2 Schalke
(G) VALENCIA 0-3 DORTMUND
(G) Chelsea 1-0 Panathinaikos
(H) Ajax 2-0 Nordsjaelland
(H) Barcelona 2-1 Anderlecht 

quote Burton Boy

The layout is just first class mate. Love it.

Great win against Valencia

KUTGW