Borussia Dortmund beat SV Elversberg 2-1 on Saturday after a 0-0 first half. Felix Nmecha scored both goals for Dortmund.
Nmecha scores twice
Nmecha opened the scoring in the 55th minute. Fabio Silva worked the move before Nmecha scored from around 18 metres.
He added his second goal 15 minutes later from slightly further out, around 25 metres. Nmecha had been booked for a tactical foul after just over 20 minutes.
Pinckert injury and red-card decision
Elversberg captain Lukas Pinckert injured his ankle in the 37th minute and had to come off. Referee Harm Osmers did not show Dortmund's Daniel Svensson a red card for the challenge on Pinckert.
Osmers later told Sky that he could have shown a red card under the current rules after seeing the footage.
Klopp discusses Anton and Thiaw
Germany coach Jürgen Klopp said Waldemar Anton and Malick Thiaw were clear choices for him for the Germany team. Anton and Thiaw formed Germany's central-defensive pairing in the internationals against Serbia and Greece.
Klopp said: “Those two were clear choices for me.” He also said: “They did incredibly well, you simply have to say that.”
Klopp said: “Centre-backs must, first and foremost, defend, of course. That is the most important of all their jobs. But to play a certain kind of football, they also have to embrace that approach. In other words, if we want to press high but the lads only feel comfortable when they can touch the line of their own penalty area, we have a problem.” Klopp said Anton and Thiaw had shown they could defend boldly.
Dortmund praise Nmecha
Dortmund assistant coach Robert Kovac said Nmecha was immensely important to Dortmund after the win, while adding that the midfielder had room for improvement. At half-time, Sky asked Kovac whether the midfielder should come off. He replied: “I think he's intelligent enough to judge that.”
At the post-match press conference, Kovac said: “With his presence, his dynamism, his technique.” He added: “He can resolve many situations so quickly with the way he turns his body. That makes his team-mates better.”
Dortmund sporting director Ole Book said on Sky: “In terms of talent and technique, he is one of the best midfielders in the world.” Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel said: “That's Felix, what can you say? A world-class player.” Kobel added with a grin: “Maybe he hits the ball like that because I always push him so hard in training.”
