Following the Bundesliga’s return last weekend, Erling Braut Haaland earned the plaudits for a goal-scoring return. However, two players that really shone in Borussia Dortmund‘s 4-0 dismantling of rivals Schalke were Raphaël Guerreiro and Thorgan Hazard.
Guerreiro put in a man of the match performance by scoring two goals. Hazard also found the net and provided an inch-perfect assist for Haaland in the first half.
Raphaël Guerreiro and Thorgan Hazard Deserve the Plaudits for Borussia Dortmund’s Revierderby Win
Impressive Guerreiro
Raphaël Guerreiro started against Schalke in his familiar left wing-back position. From the start of the match, he drove into wide areas and looked threatening. After 15 minutes, Guerreiro attempted his first shot on goal and this set the tone for his performance. The Portuguese midfielder finished the match with more shots than any other player (6).
The forward-thinking play of Guerreiro was particularly impressive. This contributed to his first goal of the afternoon after sprinting from the half-way line to support Julian Brandt, who laid a well-weighted pass for Guerreiro to finish from a tight angle just before half-time.
The 26-year-old burst forward in a similar fashion for his second of the afternoon on 63-minutes. Guerreiro received the ball on the left touchline, dribbled forward, played a neat one-two with Haaland, and finished superbly with the outside of his left foot to seal the game for Dortmund.
The Portuguese international deservedly received the man of the match performance on Saturday. He put in the ultimate wing-back performance which demonstrated excellent positioning, athleticism in getting forward in addition to some excellent finishing.
Replacement Hazard Takes his Chance
Thorgan Hazard initially named as a substitute for Dortmund, looked in top form. He replaced highly-rated teenager Giovanni Reyna, who sustained an injury during the warm-up.
The Belgian slotted into Reyna’s place on the right-wing seamlessly and took his opportunity well. The 27-year-old looked lively in the early stages and looked eager to get on the ball. By the end of the match, only Julian Brandt attempted more key passes (3) than Hazard (2).
It didn’t take long before he was involved in the first key moment of the match. On 29-minutes, Hazard received the ball on the right-wing and swung in a low, inch-perfect cross for Haaland to guide past Markus Schubert.
The Belgian forward contributed again minutes into the second half. Haaland turned provider on this occasion, finding space outside Schalke’s penalty area. The Norweigan striker found an on-rushing Hazard to his right, who timed his run perfectly and drilled in the first time shot low past, Schubert.
Hazard’s willingness to get forward helped Haaland throughout the match. But, the Belgian also showcased his excellent technical ability with a first-time cross and a first-time finish, both executed flawlessly.
Lucien Favre may face a tough decision once Reyna and Jadon Sancho return from injury in the coming weeks.
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