Kovac credits tactical change for Dortmund victory

Niko Kovac said a half-time tactical switch that got Borussia Dortmund’s wingers in the game was the key to Saturday’s 2-0 victory at St. Pauli.

After a scoreless first half, Dortmund scored twice after the break to earn back-to-back Bundesliga victories for the first time this season.

Serhou Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi netted as Kovac’s team moved to within three points of sixth-placed RB Leipzig, who lost 2-1 to Mainz elsewhere on Saturday.

“We are very satisfied with the result. In the first half we got exactly what we expected, St. Pauli plays very aggressively, very straightforward,” Kovac told reporters.

“We had some difficulties in the first half of the game because St. Pauli attacked us with three men. We didn’t find the right solution there.”

Kovac decided to alter his side’s approach after the break, and Guirassy’s goal five minutes into the second half paved the way for their win.

“We switched from a three-man to a four-man defence in the second half in our build-up play,” Kovac said.

“We brought our wingers into the game much better. This allowed us to play over St. Pauli’s first line of defence and then we had control of the game in our hands.

“What was important then, of course, was the first goal. Who scores the first goal today is on the winning path. We told the boys that.”

Dortmund’s two consecutive wins have come after two successive losses, and for defender Nico Schlotterbeck, surviving until the break without conceding a goal was vital.

“It was important to go into half-time with a 0-0 draw. There have been games where you’re behind, and then it gets difficult,” Schlotterbeck said.

“After that, we played a controlled game and deserved to win. We are more compact, we are more united, we don’t allow so much.

“It has to be Borussia Dortmund’s ambition to keep a lot of clean sheets.”