FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund met at the WWK Arena in Schwaben Bavaria for this last sixteen clash in the DFB Pokal; Which the away side eventually ran out 2-0 victors. Courtesy of a second half showing, with goals from Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan die Schwarzgelben move one step closer to the Berlin final and into the last eight. 

In a rather dull first half, neither side were able top seize hold of the tie. Markus Weinzierl's hosts were quite happy to sit back and leave the impetus to the visiting side. Yet Tuchel's side were unable to break down their opponents save for a an Aubemeyang effort. However the Ruhr Valley side came to prominence in the second half and were able to vanquish a rather shoddy die Fuggerstädter performance.

Chances at a premium in Schwaben Bavaria

As the league table would perhaps suggest, Borussia Dortmund started the livelier of the two sides. Die Schwarzgelben looked most dangerous when Mats Hummels and Lukas Piszczek took matters into their own hands -  their winding long balls were inches away from the outstretched foot of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. The task of marking Aubameyang, impervious for the FC Augsburg defence who had shipped five in the domestic fixture in North Rhine Westphalia including a hat-trick from the Gabonese. 

Yet they were unable however to fashion any meaningful efforts towards Marvin Hitz who was between the sticks for die Fuggerstädter, an ever present this season for Markus Weinzierl's Schwabian side. Hitz was the centre of controversy recently, when he damaged the turf before a Anthony Modeste missed penalty and quite ironically was charged £90's for pitch damages - courtesy of 1. FC Köln. 

The Schwaben-Bavarian hosts were a major reason as to why the nouveau look Dortmund were unable to slip into their usual rhythm. Sat deep in their half, Weinzierl's side had seemingly learnt their lesson from the drubbing in the Ruhr Valley at the end of October allowing no room for the lightning quick die Schwarzgelben attack to weave their magic - that had saw nine goals scored in two DFB Pokal matches this campaign. 

Raul Bobadilla enjoyed die Fuggerstädter's best chance of the first half, but what his shot had in power it lacked in accuracy and was thus no threat for Roman Bürki. Ja-Cheol Koo also sailed an effort over the Swiss' crossbar earlier. 

Direct and intuitive, were words that could describe Henrikh Mkhitaryan's first half. The Armenian - reborn under Thomas Tuchel - was Dortmund's brightest spark in an other wise dull first half. He had looked destined to break the deadlock, save for the Guido Kleve's flag putting an end to that. He was however responsible for Borussia Dortmund's best first half effort; he fed Aubameyang into a wide angle, but Hitz was at hand to palm away any Augsburg fears. 

Both sides are renowned for their attacking impetus, yet this proved frivolous in an opening forty-five minutes where chances were certainly at a premium in the WWK Arena. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates his opener. (Image credit: kicker)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates his opener. (Image credit: kicker)

Tuchel's side take control

One of the traits that had served the plucky FC Augsburg side well in the first half was ball retention; the trio of Dominik Kohr, Daniel Baier and Jan Moravek proving adept at frustrating opposition with crafty passes and plays. Moravek incidentally starting his first game in over twenty months following a succession of injuries. This feat seemed to abandon them at the on-set of the second half and as a result Dortmund stepped up to dominate. Adrian Ramos and Aubameyang both saw early half efforts palmed away by Marvin Hitz.

The Colombian, Ramos, had been largely unimpressive and Tuchel chose to replace the ex-Hertha BSC man with Shinji Kagawa around ten minutes in to the second period. The introduction of the Japanese would prove the main catalyst to the Schwarzgelben success that was to come. 

In his usual pushed up position, Lukas Piszczek was central to the move that finally opened the scoring on the sixty-first minute. A rather aimless through ball was closed down by the Polish fullback and his effort was made to pay as he nicked the ball from Konstantinos Stafylidis. The second ball bobbled to the waiting Aubameyang, who pounced and hooked the effort round Hitz.

After a rather wasteful sixty or so minutes, the Gabonese striker had come up trumps for Thomas Tuchel's side. A thirteenth goal in eleven outings for the Dortmund striker. 

After so long devoid of chances, it happened to be sods law that with the next chance there'd be another goal at the WWK Arena. This time almost finishing the game as a contest and placing die Schwarzgelben in the hat for the last eight of the Pokal. Mkhitaryan with a mazy run, synonymous with his performance to date, before sending an effort via the outstretched foot of Ragnar Klavan and into the back of the net. The Estonian defender certainly not covered in glory, turning his back on the Armenian.

Weinzierl chose to remove Raul Bobadilla minutes later and the die Fuggerstädter boss would've had the chance that the Paraguayan-cum-Argentine had spurned minutes before the away side had opened their tally. Ja Cheol Koo had found the striker, courtesy of a clever reverse pass, yet with only Bürki at his mercy he was unable to give his side a lead. A lead that looks to have been so crucial as Dortmund romped to a two nil victory. 

Thomas Tuchel's side had further chances to extend their lead but Mkhitaryan on two occasions was unable to convert; the North Rhine Westphalia quite rightly content with the two nil score line they possessed. 

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Alex Howell
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