That is all from me on this delightful return to MBMing.
What you should do now is read the story of the one-armed striker.
Then when your eyes have had enough, listen to the latest Football Weekly.
Dortmund win the game in the last minute but I am still being subjected to Peter Walton talking about a meaningless incident now. Oooooh tell me more about upper shoulders, Peter.
Rosler will look back at one of his defenders losing Haaland for a split second and be absolutely furious. Werder Bremen’s win puts a lot of pressure on Fortuna now at the bottom and that lost point could be the difference before survival and relegation.
Here is the goal ...
Cometh the hour, cometh the man...
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 13, 2020
Erling Haaland heads home a 95th-minute winner for Borussia Dortmund 🙌
Off the bench as he came back from injury, he had one chance and he buried it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U3LIQotSQs
Dortmund were very flat for the majority of that game but it’s always useful to have someone like Haaland to come on.
Full-time: Fortuna 0-1 Dortmund
Rosler looks absolutely furious. His team worked so hard for 95 minutes but one lapse in concentration allowed Haaland to win, and we all know the striker only needs a sniff.
Fortuna had their own chances to win the game but failed to take two good chances, instead hitting the post.
GOAL! Fortuna 0-1 Dortmund (Haaland, 90+5)
Ruddy hell! Akanji swings in a cross from the left, which Haaland flicks into the corner to give Dortmund a very late victory.
Updated
90+3 mins: Brandt lifts a cross into the box but Fortuna hold firm and clear the ball at the second time of asking.
90 mins: A long ball over the top is latched onto by Skrzybski, who gets away from two defenders, before whacking a bouncing ball against the post and wide. That could have been crucial in Fortuna’s fight for survival.
Five minutes added on.
89 mins: Reyna has looked lively and direct since coming on but Fortuna are not offering him much space to run into.
Thank God someone has done their research.
@Will_Unwin Fortuna wears the jerseys because they are celebrating their 125th anniversary.
— Bahamontes (@ArmchairCM) June 13, 2020
87 mins: Stober swings in a corner but Burki comes out to give it a strong punch away from the danger area.
85 mins: Hakimi kicks the ball away, purely out of frustration and receives a yellow for his petulance.
83 mins: All the subs are coming thick and fast, which gives the match a very pre-season vibe. Fortuna need fresh legs while Dortmund need fresh ideas.
81 mins: Reyna goes beyond Giesselmann, who then drags the American down in a frightfully unfriendly way to earn himself a booking.
Hennings is finally on for Fortuna.
Fortuna almost take the lead as sub Skrzybski fires a low shot from 20 yards out which rattles the base of Burki’s post.
Will, any idea why Dusseldorf are wearing natty retro shirts?
— Peter Lee (@peterlee7395) June 13, 2020
No ...
79 mins: Dortmund are struggling here. Any vague title challenge is slowly ebbing away.
77 mins: Ebesley says: “On the atmosphere/crowd note I think it’s great how realistic it is, you hardly notice. Shame they can’t artificially inject a bit of excitement into the game in the same way.”
I remember Man City pumping fake fan chants into the stands through the Tannoy. That was awful. This is perfectly acceptable.
75 mins: Reyna is on for Hazard to boost the (tenuous) Manchester City links in this game.
Akanji shoots, I think, from 70 yards out and it goes nowhere near the goal.
73 mins: No co-commentator on this game, so the joys of Peter Walton’s dulcet tones are a nice change. A say a nice change, I mean really annoying and boring as he points out the goal was rightly ruled out.
71 mins: Hoffmann goes down in the box after landing awkwardly and the non-existent fans seem to think it might be a penalty. Fortuna have had three set-pieces in quick succession as they look to build some momentum.
69 mins: Akanji catches Zimmermann and goes into the book for a high foot, which is fair enough.
Toombes says: “Unpopular opinion, but I think the team that wont be put off by the lack of fans in the Premier League next week will be Arsenal because they are used to playing with little to no atmosphere anyway.”
NO GOAL! Fortuna 0-0 Dortmund
Oh ... VAR has ruled it out. The ball brushed Guerreiro’s shoulder on the way to his left foot. Three months without football has made me forget the existence of VAR. Fortunate for Fortuna.
Updated
GOAL! Fortuna 0-1 Dortmund (Guerreiro, 65)
A lot going on just outside the edge of the Dortmund area as Thommy is pushed over but the loose ball is fired at Burki by Sobottka.
Dortmund break, resulting in Guerreiro firing a stunning volley from around 12 yards out.
Updated
63 mins: Hakimi almost bulldozes his way through the entire Fortuna defence but is stopped at the vital moment just before he can shoot or find a final ball.
61 mins: Haaland is stripped off and raring to go after missing two matches through injury. Can he make the difference today?
Hummels seems to complain that Rosler did something or other. The referee has a word and that’s that.
59 mins: Hazard goes into the book for doing not very much in the opposition box. He seems to lash out very slightly but it certainly does not merit a yellow.
57 mins: Sancho sums up Dortmund’s blunt nature in the final third by riding a challenge, getting to the edge of the box and with yellow shirts around him, just calmly passing it straight to a defender.
55 mins: Akanji and Karaman clash heads when challenging for the ball. The Dortmund defender comes off worse but after a few seconds of feeling sorry for himself on the turf, he is up and raring to go again.
53 mins: Fortuna’s longest spell of possession ends with Karaman firing a low cross for Akanji to clear. At least they are finally showing some intent.
51 mins: Karaman hustles and bustles his way into the box and, despite being crowded out, gets a tame shot away which Burki gladly takes possession of.
49 mins: Fortuna have a collection of clever set-pieces, the only issue is that none of them have beaten the first man, which seems to be the very least they should do.
47 mins: Almost a short backpass to Burki but he reacts quickly to get there before Berisha can. An inauspicious start to the half for Dortmund.
Second half
Here we go again!
Someone is scoring in the Bundesliga ...
Davy Klassen is in fine form today! 🔥
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 13, 2020
The former Everton man has two, and Bremen have three goals at the break!
Their escape is still on 👊 pic.twitter.com/1nkbwWgTmq
Jim asks: “Little discussion started up over here, trying to work out whether the crowd noise is being pumped into the stadium or just slathered onto the broadcast so we can’t hear the effing and jeffing from the players in the empty stadium? I only ask because whoever is “mixing” the sounds is reacting so fast it’s almost seamless and i’m very impressed, even if there seems to only be “outrage” and “sighing” on his sample list.
“Any ideas?”
I think the broadcaster puts it on.
Updated
Football is returning around Europe. In France, however ...
Half-time: Fortuna 0-0 Dortmund
Not a classic so far. The game has been played at a mediocre pace with Dortmund dominating, but Fortuna have held firm.
44 mins: The hosts will be very happy if they can get into the break on level terms. They have utilised a lot of energy in keeping Dortmund out but they do have the chance to use five subs, which helps them.
42 mins: Dortmund are trying to come up with creative ways of breaking down the Fortuna defence but generally it just results in them giving the ball back to the hosts.
40 mins: Fortuna have had the ball a bit more in recent minutes but once it gets into midfield they usually lose it. Not a great footballing side.
38 mins: Sancho tries to find Hakimi on the overlap but the wing-back fails to get there and instead just pushes his opponent out of play.
36 mins: Hazard is penalised for a sneaky foul, which only the referee and Rosler saw. The Fortuna manager does a lovely gesture in the direction of Hazard to show he knows what he is doing.
34 mins: Fortuna are holding firm but I don’t think they have touched the ball in the last two minutes.
32 mins: Dortmund are really ramping up the pressure here and it’s a question of whether Fortuna can hold their shape and maintain discipline to keep them out. It could be a draining final hour of the match.
30 mins: Some nice buildup work on the edge of the box from Dortmund ends with Sancho slipping in Brandt but this left-foot finish is weak and the ‘keeper gobbles it up.
28 mins: I do not have the possession stats to hand but I would take a punt that it’s about 70%-30% in Dortmund’s favour.
26 mins: I cannot see Fortuna scoring from open play the way this is going. The are built to not concede and seem to fancy their chances at set pieces. All they have to do is get some.
24 mins: Quick play from Dortmund sees Hakimi fizz a pass into Sancho’s feet, allowing the Englishman to flick it into the path of Brandt who is forced wide and then fails to go round the ‘keeper, instead sending the ball behind.
The background noise which has been added on is fine until a contentious moment when they person pressing the buttons seems to go a little over the top.
22 mins: Brandt is wandering all over the pitch as he attempts to get on the ball and make something happen, without much success so far.
Piszczek is penalised for a foul on Thommy. The Fortuna man writhes in agony as it seems Piszczek landed on his foot. It could be painful but he will be able to carry on.
20 mins: Fortuna will now be very wary of the counter-attack after witnessing the incredible speed with which Dortmund broke. It just shows what that forward line can do when given a inch.
18 mins: A Fortuna corner is played short and eventually headed by Dortmund, who then break down the other end as the visitors enjoy a three-on-one, with Hakimi slipped through by Sancho but Kastenmeier came out quickly and spread himself, repelling a low shot from the wing-back. Dortmund really should be ahead here.
16 mins: Dortmund have struggled to find Sancho, Hazard and Brand, as Fortuna are containing their midfielders well when they get the ball. The visitors will need to be patient.
14 mins: Dortmund enjoy a sustained period of possession but make very little off it thanks to the well-organised shaped of Fortuna.
12 mins: Karaman and Akanji have a good battle for the ball but Dortmund eventually win it back. Sancho has a word with the referee after he is penalised for pulling an opponent back. Finally a bit of life to the game.
10 mins: Dortmund get the first corner of the game but Can’s header loops up and then into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Luke emails: “I’m sure you’ll get back in to the swing of it. After all, I’m sure you’ll recall that Frasier was so beloved by his adopted city of Seattle that they held a Frasier Crane Day in his honour. So perhaps this time next year we’ll all be celebrating Will Unwin Day.”
I look forward to 13 June 2021. Hopefully I will make it to my own parade.
8 mins: I don’t know if it’s the setting but the game is not really being played at the highest tempo. All the defenders are having plenty of time on the ball, as it is passed around slowly.
6 mins: Karaman fires in a shot which is blocked by Hummels. It does not matter, though, as the Fortuna man is rightly adjudged to be a yard or so offside.
4 mins: The background babble of fans is a lovely noise, as I pretend this game is perfectly normal. Not much happening on the pitch, so I will just have to absorb all the sounds of a fake crowd.
Updated
2 mins: Dortmund are dominating the early stages, with Fortuna barely having a kick. I suspect the visitors will be quite happy to bide their time here.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
This is my first MBM for about three months. I feel like Frasier Craine after returning to the radio studio when he rehired. Hopefully, I will find be able to find the cough button and recognise a goal.
Not long to go until kick-off, which normal means the crowds would be filing into the ground and many in their sits already. It must be quite relaxing playing without a crowd.
The Bundesliga has shown its support for Black Lives Matter.
Some Bundesliga transfer news from this week ...
Speaking of in-form strikers lying in wait ... Erling Haaland is on Dortmund’s bench. Not a bad man to be able to call on.
Ex-Burnley striker Rouwen Hennings has 14 goals in the Bundesliga this season but is on the bench for Fortuna Dusseldorf today. Maybe Rosler is saving him for a game they have a better chance of winning.
I am mainly here for Uwe Rosler.
Hier ist unser Team! 👋#f95 | 🔴⚪️ | #F95BVB pic.twitter.com/ipaSevXtPQ
— Fortuna Düsseldorf (@f95) June 13, 2020
I have currently got a bit of Espanyol v Alaves on. There is some sort of crowd noise being offered to keep you focused on the action. I definitely think the background chants help, as I struggled to get up for the early games that were completely silent.
It’s always good to see Sancho in action, as he continues to blossom into a world class footballer. I was speaking to a former Watford academy captain yesterday who was explaining to me how confident Sancho was as a kid, something you need to make it to the very top. It probably helps having such ludicrous levels of ability, too.
Starting lineups
Fortuna: Kastenmeier, Hoffmann, Ayhan, Berisha, Karaman, Thommy, Stober, Giesselmann, Zimmermann, Suttner, Sobottka
Subs: Rensing, Morales, Kownacki, Ofori, Zanka, Skrzybski, Hennings, Bormuth, Zimmer
Borussia Dortmund: Burki, Hakimi, Hummels, Akanji, Guerreiro, Can, Brandt, Zarad, Piszczek, Can, Witsel, Sancho
Subs: Hitz, Schulz, Haaland, Balerdi, Morey, Schmelzer, Pherai, Reyna, Raschl
Updated
Preamble
Good afternoon!
Football is still back. If Dortmund lose this, however, German football is over for another season. A loss for Lucien Favre’s side would open the door for Bayern Munich to seal the title by beating Borussia Monchengladbach at home later on.
Not that Dortmund should really be losing to Fortuna Dusseldorf, who currently reside in the relegation playoff spot. Under new boss Uwe Rosler Fortuna have only lost once in nine games, which was against Bayern. Although, it should be pointed out they have drawn six of those.
Rosler is just the first of many Manchester City connections today. Fortuna have Zak Steffan on loan from the Etihad, while Dortmund possess the sons of two for City players in the form of Erling Haaland and Giovanni Reyna, not to mention Jadon Sancho preparing to terrorise defenders.
We are all hoping the Bundesliga title race carries on for a little bit longer but there are no certainties in football.
Should be a cracker!
Kick off: 2.30pm (BST)
Updated
