Dortmund juggernaut to tackle goal-shy Wolfsburg

Berlin (AFP) – Free-scoring Borussia Dortmund head to Wolfsburg for Tuesday’s Bundesliga clash looking to continue an impressive scoring streak that has seen them bag 12 goals in two matches.

In contrast, Germany striker Mario Gomez is desperate to break his Wolves’ duck after failing to score in his first two appearances for the club.

Wolfsburg host Dortmund at the Volkswagen Arena having finished goalless in their last two games, a problem Borussia do not have after demolishing Legia Warsaw and Darmstadt by the same 6-0 scoreline in their last two matches. 

Gomez, who netted two goals for Germany in June’s European championships, will be looking to take a leaf out of Dortmund’s book having failed to score in his two league appearances since joining Wolfsburg for seven million euros ($7.8m) from Fiorentina in August to great fanfare.

The 31-year-old missed a handful of chances in Saturday’s goalless draw at Hoffenheim, leaving his new team on five points from a possible nine this season.

“I’m sorry for the team that I haven’t scored,” said Gomez, the Turkish league’s top-scorer last season with 26 goals on loan at Besiktas.

“It was one of those days when the (Hoffenheim) goalkeeper saved everything.

“It’s clear that I have to score at least once, but the goals will come and the next game is a good chance for that. Borussia Dortmund haven’t won the game yet.”

Both teams are in the top half of the table with Dortmund a point above Wolves on six points.

Last time out, Dortmund blitzed Darmstadt despite leaving stars Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Goetze out of their starting line-up.

And head coach Thomas Tuchel has a selection headache with half a dozen highly-talented youngsters all vying for starting places against Wolfsburg.

Amongst them is USA international Christian Pulisic, who scored against Darmstadt, only turned 18 on Sunday after making his Champions League debut in Warsaw.

“You can finally drive a car in Germany!”, said USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann in a video message to the attacking midfielder.

“We proud of you in the USA — shoot a few more goals!”

Pulisic is typical of the talent Tuchel is nurturing.

Both French rising star Ousmane Dembele, 18, and Portugal international Raphael Guerreiro, 22, are impressing on the left flank.

Turkey international Emre Mor, 19, scored his first Bundesliga goal against Darmstadt.

Right-back Felix Passlack only turned 18 in May and defensive midfielder Julian Weigl is a full Germany international — at just 21.

Tuchel, who has seen 10 different players score in their last two matches, may need his talented squad as Borussia have a busy week coming up with three games in seven days, including Friday’s visit of Freiburg before hosting Real Madrid in the Champions League group stages Tuesday next week.

But a strong bench and more rotation does not necessarily mean more league points, according to Tuchel.

“That would be too simple a calculation,” he said.

“We shouldn’t hanker after the 78 points we achieved (in the German league) last season.”