Borussia Dortmund suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday, just days after celebrating a commanding 7-1 victory over Celtic—its largest win in European competition.
Coach Nuri Sahin, in his inaugural season at the helm, lamented his team’s lack of intensity, particularly in the first half, where they failed to match the aggression that had characterized their recent European triumph.
“We had a weak start, and aside from a few moments, the entire first half was underwhelming,” Sahin stated, emphasizing the need for his players to be fully engaged from the opening whistle. “At this level and in this stadium, you have to be present from the start. If you’re not, you concede goals like the ones we did today, and that’s simply unacceptable,” he added.
The defeat has pushed Dortmund down to seventh place in the Bundesliga standings, now sitting on 10 points.
Sahin reflected on the team’s preparations, revealing, “Just before kickoff, we clearly communicated our expectations for this match, but unfortunately, we handed them the entire first half.”
Union Berlin’s Kevin Vogt, who ended a remarkable 10-year goal drought, opened the scoring in the 26th minute by converting a penalty.
This marked Vogt’s first goal since October 18, 2014, making it an astonishing 275 Bundesliga matches between goals for an outfield player—a new record in the league.
Dortmund struggled offensively, missing key players due to injuries, including Germany international Karim Adeyemi, who had scored a hat-trick against Celtic, along with Julien Duranville and Gio Reyna.
Their absence was felt as the team lacked creativity and cutting edge in attack.
Just before halftime, Union doubled their lead with a well-placed low shot from Yorbe Vertessen, further compounding Dortmund’s woes.
Despite a spirited second-half response, Dortmund could only manage to pull one back through defender Julian Ryerson shortly after the hour mark.
They pressed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but their efforts were in vain as they failed to convert any late opportunities, leaving the players and fans frustrated with the outcome.
As Dortmund look to regroup, Sahin will undoubtedly be focused on rekindling the team’s earlier form and ensuring they are better prepared for the challenges ahead in the Bundesliga.
