Felix Nmecha came off the bench to score twice and lead Borussia Dortmund to a commanding 3-0 home victory over SC Paderborn. The win last Saturday was the fifth in a row for Niko Kovac's side, solidifying their hold on second place in the Bundesliga with nine points from three matches.
Fábio Silva had opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute, finishing after a clever lay-off from Serhou Guirassy. Guirassy himself saw two first-half goals ruled out for offside. The real shift came in the 65th minute when Kovac introduced Nmecha, Marcel Sabitzer and Carney Chukwuemeka from the bench.
Nmecha's spectacular overhead kick
Just fifteen minutes after entering the pitch, Nmecha made it 2-0 following a one-two with Maximilian Beier. The midfielder provided the crowning moment in the 89th minute with a spectacular overhead kick from Sabitzer's cross from the right. "I think that was the most beautiful [goal of my career], I knew immediately that it would go in as soon as I touched the ball," Nmecha said after the match. Manager Kovac praised the strike as "sensational and acrobatic".
Kovac explained Nmecha's bench role was due to the heavy workload from club and country commitments. He is working closely with the medical staff to manage the 25-year-old's minutes. Nmecha stressed he was not dissatisfied with being a substitute on this occasion, his first time starting on the bench this season. The squad benefits from its depth, allowing for flexibility and player rotation, the manager added.
Perfect start ahead of Stuttgart test
The victory over Paderborn was Dortmund's third league win from three, with eight goals scored and only two conceded. The team's top scorer this season is Serhou Guirassy with two goals in three appearances. A full overview of the current team stats is available online.
The positive mood in the Dortmund camp now faces a test as the team travels to face VfB Stuttgart on Saturday. Stuttgart currently sit 14th in the table. Ahead of this challenge, Kovac can rely on a broad squad where youngsters like Ethan Nwaneri, who made his first Bundesliga start against Paderborn, gain valuable experience. With nine points from three games and a flawless five-win run, Borussia Dortmund's squad is perfectly poised for the tasks ahead.
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The club provided a positive update on the condition of Konstantinos Karetsas at the weekend. The 18-year-old summer signing had been sidelined with circulatory problems during the Champions League match against Villarreal. Sporting managing director Lars Ricken said, "We really put him through his paces for three days. No abnormalities whatsoever." Karetsas returned to individual training on Monday and took part in team training again on Wednesday. "We’ll see if he’s fit to play against Stuttgart," said Ricken. The team, which leads the Bundesliga with 12 points from four games, faces Werder Bremen on Saturday.
