Haaland forces the issue as Dortmund bounce back
October 3, 2020
Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Freiburg, Signal-Iduna Park
(Haaland 31', 66', Can 47', Passlack 90+2)
When Marco Reus, Julian Brandt or Gio Reyna were running the show late in Saturday's game, football looked effortless for Borussia Dortmund.
That’s not always the case for Erling Haaland. The Norwegian is rapid but not elegant. His first touch isn’t yet the most reliable and he’s still yet to complete a full season at the top level. But all he needs is a sniff of a blood, and he’s Dortmund’s most lethal weapon.
His opener relieved the pressure building up in front of 11,5000 fans and once again revealed the sharpened edge of the Norwegian sledgehammer, while his near-identical second emphasized the single-minded, decisive nature inherent in all the best goalscorers.
It had been, by several measures, a dominant opening quarter from the hosts. Dortmund had 80 percent of the ball and found a man with 90 percent of their passes. They won more aerial duels, more tackles and dominated territory. But they didn’t have a shot, or, it seemed, much of a plan.
Clicking in to gear
What they did have though, was a striker as clinical as they come. Just as the visitors looked comfortable against a Dortmund press lacking intensity, Reus took it upon himself to steal possession in the middle of the park. As soon as Reyna picked up the loose ball, Haaland was on the move. A drop of the shoulder a change of direction, a first-time left-footed drive across a keeper who had no time to react. It wouldn’t be the last time.
Maybe there was a plan after all. With the goal came a purpose lacking in the early stages. Jude Bellingham drove Dortmund forward from the center, Reyna went close from the edge of the box, Reus was elusive and Mats Hummels popped up to miss a golden opportunity in the six yard box.
His central defensive colleague Emre Can nodded in Reyna’s corner shortly after the break to settle any remaining nerves and the hosts' passive start felt like that of a different team. Reyna in particular began to exert control, demonstrating intelligence, passing and movement beyond his years. His 17-year-old teammate Jude Bellingham looked equally at home as Dortmund turned the screw.
Repeat the dose
But for all the slick one-twos, overlaps and buildup play, it was a simple formula that truly wrapped up the game just after the hour mark. This time Reyna took on the Reus role, nicking the ball from Keven Schlotterbeck. The American looked up to see Haaland on the move, the goal already scored in his head. The pass was weighted well, the shot was lashed first time once again. It flew faster and higher but the result was the same.
That first-time finish, particularly with the left foot, has already become a trademark for Haaland. The speed at which he takes shots speaks to his confidence, instinct, ruthlessness and intelligence. He leaves keepers little time to react and it demands less accuracy than required if a touch is taken.
As Freiburg willed the whistle, Haaland just wanted more, perhaps a little too much when he failed to complete a one-two with Julian Brandt that would've given the German a tap in, opting for the shot instead. Brandt didn’t feel able to criticize his teammate in the circumstances.
But Haaland's drive for improvement appears relentless, and when a similar situation came along with seconds remaining and a hat trick there for the taking, he squared for Felix Passlack to tap in for his first Bundesliga goal. When your goalscoring instincts are as honed as Haaland's, that's a sacrifice you can afford to make.