Kovac’s Dortmund edge Augsburg in the grind: a 1-0 that didn’t need art, just grit

Post-match reactions

Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl, head coach Niko Kovac, and players Gregor Kobel and Pascal Groß discussed the hard-fought 1-0 win at Augsburg on Friday, a victory that yielded three vital points.

Kehl, speaking for the club, said he was very happy with the three points and that the result achieved the team’s objective, while acknowledging the busy spell the side is navigating after a 120-minute cup clash in Frankfurt.

He added that the team must assess the situation wisely; there is room for better football, and chances were limited as they navigate a demanding schedule.

On the fatigue factor, Kehl noted, “Three days earlier we played a match that lasted more than 120 minutes in Frankfurt in the cup. Despite changes, we were not at our best in that game.”

Kehl finished by praising the defense for another clean sheet and the importance of Serhou Girasi’s decisive goal for him and the team, saying you simply have to accept the result.

Niko Kovac

Kovac spoke about the expectation going into the match: “We knew Augsburg would be tough; it wasn’t going to be a pretty game, but a battle full of contact.”

Reflecting on the significance of Girasi’s contribution, Kovac added: “We were a bit better thanks to Serhou’s goal. Everything else was a lot of fighting and fatigue on both sides, especially after the 120 minutes on Tuesday.”

Regarding the keys to victory, he said: “We need our striker, Serhou; the more he scores, the easier it is to win. He hadn’t found the net in recent weeks, so this goal was crucial.”

Gregor Kobel

Hearing from the goalkeeper, Kobel emphasized the defensive stability: “Our defense was the key; the forward line did a great job, and we are very defensively solid. The opponent had few chances and scored even fewer.”

On team chemistry, he added: “It requires everyone’s contribution to win a game like this; we have very good team chemistry, which shows more in tough matches like today after the 120 minutes in Frankfurt.”

He also highlighted the importance of the frontline: “It’s hard, and we also suffer. But having a top striker and keeping the door closed is exactly what matters.”

Pascal Groß

Groß discussed the away win and the challenge Augsburg posed: “Three important points away, something we couldn’t achieve last year. Augsburg wanted to overturn the game at any cost, but we held firm and took the win by one goal.”

He spoke about the fatigue: “It was a pure battle; we’re coming off busy weeks, three extremely important points—we fought for the win.”

On belief in Girasi: “I’m especially happy for Serhou; he is very important for us. If he doesn’t score, people talk about setting thresholds too high. He stayed calm and scored—the kind of quality that gave us three points today.”

Absence note

Dortmund could have to play their next away match in the Champions League without defender Nico Schlotterbeck. Kovac said before Augsburg that he didn’t know yet whether the German international could play next Wednesday against Manchester City.

Schlotterbeck missed Augsburg due to a cold; as Kovac told Sky Sport, “He wasn’t available today and couldn’t train.” The player has been in strong form, and with City’s attacking threats, Dortmund will miss their captain at the back.

Match numbers and standings

Gerassi’s goal came from Dortmund’s only real chance; the match produced just 14 shots on goal in total (9-5 Augsburg), the season’s lowest figure so far. Expected goals were 0.35, which was enough for Dortmund to win.

Dortmund now has 20 points, four more than at the same stage last season, and they have lost only one of 14 competitive games this season. No team had kept a clean sheet in the first nine rounds more than Dortmund, a feat the club achieved for the sixth time, with Bayern potentially matching that tally later against Leverkusen.

After 438 minutes without a goal, Girasi scored again in the Bundesliga, his fourth of the season. His goal put Dortmund ahead (1-0), and no other player had opened the scoring in that many matches this season.

And now, a couple of light lines to wrap up: if defense is art, Dortmund just painted the Louvre's walls; if offense is a circus, today the clowns stayed in the back and let the defense steal the show. Punchline-ready: who needs a pretty game when you’ve got three points and a clean sheet? Also: apparently the only thing louder than Dortmund’s defense was the collective sigh when the 120 minutes ended in Frankfurt—talk about dramatic energy management!