Dortmund Frustrated by Union Berlin in Goalless Draw Despite Dominance
Borussia Dortmund were held to a goalless draw at Union Berlin’s Alte Försterei after dominating the ball without finding a route through a compact home defence. Niko Kovac’s side had 62.6% possession and completed 570 passes, yet managed only two attempts on target in a contest in which neither goalkeeper was seriously tested.
The game began in remarkable fashion when Ethan Nwaneri was initially sent off within seconds of kick-off. The referee swiftly corrected the decision, reducing the punishment to a yellow card, and Dortmund continued with 11 players. Six bookings were issued across a physical afternoon, with Waldemar Anton cautioned in the seventh minute and Serhou Guirassy following him into the book seven minutes later.
Union did not register a shot on target, leaving Gregor Kobel largely untroubled. The Dortmund goalkeeper was nevertheless alert behind the defence and used the ball reliably when pressed. Ahead of him, Joane Gadou impressed with his composure in possession, recovery pace and interventions against counter-attacks, while Anton delivered an aggressive display in the duels despite his early caution.
Captain Nico Schlotterbeck was influential in taking Dortmund forward from the back, winning aerial contests and helping create the first meaningful effort shortly before half-time. Julian Ryerson, facing his former club, worked tirelessly down the flank and supplied a dangerous second-half delivery that led to Dortmund’s clearest opening.
However, the visitors lacked a consistent final pass against Union’s narrow defensive shape. Jobe Bellingham covered plenty of ground and contributed without the ball, but Dortmund’s midfield could not regularly connect with the forwards. Felix Nmecha added physicality and helped retain control, although his passing was often conservative when spaces opened in front of him. Daniel Svensson was diligent defensively from wing-back but was unable to provide enough precision in the final third.
Maximilian Beier endured a difficult match between the lines and was unable to make proper contact with a promising chance before being replaced in the 62nd minute. Nwaneri faded in periods after the early disciplinary incident, though he remained Dortmund’s most direct attacking threat and narrowly missed after a strong individual run. Guirassy was frequently isolated at centre-forward, dropping deeper to link play before seeing a late effort blocked.
Kovac made a double alteration on 62 minutes, introducing Fábio Silva and Konstantinos Karetsas. Silva created one reasonable opportunity but could not alter the overall pattern of the match. Karetsas’ involvement lasted only eight minutes before an ankle injury forced him off, with Mathis Albert entering in the 70th minute.
Albert inadvertently got in the way of a Guirassy attempt during a late attack, although he almost produced an unusual winner near the end. Dortmund could not turn their territorial advantage into a breakthrough, leaving Kovac frustrated after a match in which his side controlled possession but failed to unlock the Union block.
