Sancho emerges as show-stopping star as BVB put rivals Bayern to the sword
When your preparations for the new Bundesliga campaign include a cup final victory over Bayern Munich, then you can be pretty sure you are making good progress. Such is the case for BVB under coach Lucien Favre as they reflect on a triumph over their rivals. And with the victory in the bag, Borussia Dortmund can allow themselves to look forward to the new season with huge dollops of optimism.
The win in question came in the DFL Supercup as BVB lifted the silverware for the sixth time of asking with a 2-0 win at the Signal Iduna Park in what is known as the “Der Klassiker” encounter in which a certain Jadon Sancho was easily the star performer.
England international attacker Sancho, who is aged 19, led the Bayern Munich defenders a merry dance in the match and left them totally and utterly bamboozled with a dazzling solo strike which saw him speed from the half way line to seal the deal.
Spanish striker Paco Alcacer, who made his move from Barcelona permanent in the summer after a loan period last season, gave BVB the lead just after half-time although the praise was reserved for touchline wizard Sancho who was comfortably man of the match.
Borussia Dortmund’s midfielder Alex Witsel didn’t hold back at all when he gave his post-match assessment of the jet-helped winger who was said to be a target for Manchester United until he signed a new deal at BVB. He said:
“Jadon is damned talented. Even Bayern’s defenders are scared when he has the ball. But that’s normal because Jadon just has a lot of quality. He is so very fast, he is also very technically strong and he can score goals — as well as put his team-mates in the spotlight. He is really a complete player and he deserves all the credit he gets.”
Meanwhile, Marco Reus — who collected Germany’s player of the season gong before the match — may now have to review his assessment of whether or not Sancho should be used as a kind of super-sub to damage opponents later on in games, or if, in fact, he has graduated to a starting position.
Prior to the win over Bayern Munich, he said of his role as an impact sub:
“It’s just crazy. I think it’s incredibly important that he comes off the bench and does so well every time. When our opponents ease off a little and Jadon comes into the game, then he’s a weapon for us every single time. We’re happy to have him up our sleeve and he always gives us a boost.”
BVB go again next weekend in DFB-Pokal action when they head to third division outfit Uerdingen on Friday. They then head back to Signal Iduna Park in preparation to welcome Augsburg for the opening game of the new season on August 17.
