Mainz 0-4 Borussia Dortmund: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Reus-Inspired BVB Claim Victory

​Borussia Dortmund kept in touching distance with the top of the Bundesliga with an emphatic victory over Mainz on Saturday afternoon. 

The visitors got off to a flying start in the first half, helping themselves to six shots on the Mainz goal in the first 15 minutes to no avail, Robin Zentner superbly denying Marco Reus with an outstretched boot. 

Dortmund were then denied a penalty by VAR following a controversial handball in the Mainz area, the defender was adjudged to have been in too close proximity to warrant a penalty decision. Reus then opened the scoring for der BVB on the 32 minute mark, smashing home a half volley from the edge of the box past Zentner. 

Jadon Sancho doubled BVB's lead after centre-back Dan-Axel Zagadou carried the ball forward from his own box and set up the England international. Thorgan Hazard grabbed Dortmund's third with a thumping finish after being set up by Reus.

Nico Schulz scored his first goal for Dortmund with a well-taken finish into the bottom left-hand corner after some neat footwork from Sancho to round off a comfortable afternoon.

Mainz

Player Ratings​

Starting XI: Zentner (7); Juste (5), Fernandes (5), Niakhaté (6); Öztunali (5), Baku (6), Kunde (6), Boëtius (5), Aarón (5); Quaison (5), Szalai (5)

Substitutes: Maxim (5), Mateta (6), Brosinski (N/A)

Borussia Dortmund

Key Talking Point

A win for ​BVB was vital in their search for their first Bundesliga title in eight seasons, and die Borussen certainly grabbed the opportunity with both hands. 

After a rather tepid first half, the visitors sprang to life in the second half and blew their opponents out of the water with three well-worked goals. 

Dortmund now sit two points clear of ​Bayern Münich in third place behind league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Leipzig in second, who both have games in hand. 

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Bürki (6); Akanji (7), Hummels (7), Zagadou (7); Hakimi (7), Weigl (7), Brandt (8), Schulz (7); Reus (8*); Hazard (7), Sancho (8)

Substitutes: Götze (6), Dahoud (N/A), Alcàcer (N/A)

Star Man - Marco Reus​

Marco Reus illustrated exactly why he is still considered one of Europe's best with a prolific display against die Nullfünfer on Saturday. 

Dortmund's captain was at the heart of their creativity going forward and worked hard off the ball to spring counter attacks when on the back foot. 

To round off a dominant display, Reus helped himself to his first Bundesliga assist of the season as he found Thorgan Hazard - who lashed the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net via a touch from Zentner. 

Dortmund's push for their first ​Bundesliga crown since 2011/12 will no doubt depend on the fitness of their captain, who showed just why he is so important to die Schwarzgelben. 

Looking Ahead​

Following their demolition of Mainz, Dortmund host fellow title contenders RB Leipzig at Signal Iduna Park in a clash between two big title contenders. Lucien Favre's men then travel to the Rhein-Neckar Arena to take on Hoffenheim, who themselves are chasing a European place. 

Mainz travel to the Weserstadion to face a struggling Werder Bremen side before hosting Bayer Leverkusen at the Coface Arena four days later.