PAOK vs. Borussia Dortmund: Winners and Losers from Europa League Game
Borussia Dortmund were held to a 1-1 draw on Thursday night in their Europa League clash with PAOK in Thessaloniki, Greece. The result left the Greeks undefeated in Group C with two draws from as many games. BVB ended the match still one point clear of Krasnodar atop the group, with four points.
The Germans came out strong in the first half but were put back by Robert Mak, whose thunderous effort saw the hosts take the lead against the run of play. As the final quarter of the match began, Gonzalo Castro's cross managed to evade all Dortmund and PAOK players as it found its way into the net for the equalizer.
Although Dortmund pressured for a winner, PAOK held on and were rewarded at full-time with a deserved point.
Following Thursday's action, B/R runs the rule over the winners and losers from the match. Click "Begin Slideshow" for our picks.
Winner: Gonzalo Castro
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Gonzalo Castro picked a good time to score his first goal as a Dortmund player, with his side behind and looking increasingly devoid of ideas as full-time approached. The summer signing was fortunate to hit the target from what could only be viewed as a cross that managed to evade its intended target as well as any PAOK player as it bounced slowly into the net.
At the same time, it was a good cross that might have assisted a better scorer, and it was only one moment among many in which the ex-Leverkusen man impressed. He’d come close earlier and looked good filling in for Ilkay Gundogan in the role of bringing the ball from defense to attack.
Castro still has plenty to prove as a Dortmund player, but after some nightmares earlier in his BVB career, Thursday’s performance comes as a definitive positive.
Loser: Adrian Ramos
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It by now is unquestionable as to why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is Dortmund’s first-choice striker. The Gabon international is absolutely on fire, with nine goals in his first seven Bundesliga games of the season, and has been prolific in the role for quite some time.
Still, when Aubameyang needs a rest, Adrian Ramos would hope (as Dortmund’s only other striker of note) to be the man to replace him. Thomas Tuchel opted instead to start Marco Reus up front, with three attacking midfielders as support.
It wasn’t the first time this season that Ramos was overlooked.
It may be true that Dortmund struggled in attack in Ramos’ absence, but the Colombian’s introduction as a substitute in the second half did nothing to change things. He held up a long ball once or twice, but he was of little use in and around the penalty box and never once looked like a threat on goal.
Loser: Thomas Tuchel
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In order to compete on three fronts, it’s a requirement for any club to have a deep squad of fit players who can be relied upon to deliver in any situation. Dortmund have more than enough quality players to fill a full starting XI, yet to date, they have struggled for fluency whenever even a couple of changes have been made to their best XI.
Against PAOK, Tuchel needed to rest several stars. BVB are set to face Bayern Munich on Sunday, and a fresh first team is necessary if the Ruhr side are to avoid going seven points off the pace in the Bundesliga title race. Yet, not for the first time this year, a few changes to Tuchel’s best lineup resulted in his side conceding the opener and looking very stale in possession.
There was some real class in the first XI on Thursday night, from Marco Reus to Henrikh Mkhitaryan and beyond. Yet Dortmund had to struggle throughout a match with the Greeks that, in fairness, they should have won without too much difficulty.
When the players are good enough but don't form, questions have to be asked about the coach. Especially after three consecutive draws in all competitions.
Winner: PAOK's Centre-Backs
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PAOK did very well to hold off Dortmund prior to their opener and again impressed as they survived a late siege as their visitors pursued a winner. Their draw was somewhat improbable, especially given the run of play, but the Greeks would have managed a win if not for a very unfortunate goal.
Much of the hosts' success comes down to the outstanding triumvirate of Giorgos Tzavellas, Ricardo Costa and Miguel Vitor.
Again and again, Dortmund probed the hosts' defense. Their crosses were headed clear, their shots were blocked, their through-passes intercepted. It was a magnificent defensive performance by PAOK that ultimately led to the hosts holding on for a point. And if not for Castro's lucky strike, they would have kept a clean sheet.
Winner: Robert Mak
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PAOK would not have even earned a point for their strong performance if not for the goal they scored, and they have Robert Mak to thank for stunning the visitors with his unstoppable finish on 34 minutes.
Dortmund were pressing for the opener and had been for quite some time. Mak sprung the offside trap, controlled the ball well and rifled his shot into the roof of the net. The Slovakia international's goal seemed to leave BVB shell-shocked, and the visitors were rather toothless until the break.
Although Dortmund eventually found their rhythm, Mak's goal would be enough to earn a draw. It was a big night for the ex-Nurnberg man against familiar foes.
