Borussia Dortmund qualify for Europa League in Jurgen Klopp farewell

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:16 am

Jurgen Klopp bade an emotional but successful farewell to the Borussia Dortmund fans in his last Bundesliga match in charge of the club with a 3-2 win over Werder Bremen earning them a place in the Europa League next season.

Shinji Kagawa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck in quick succession inside the opening 17 minutes to put Dortmund on their way to victory.

Levin Oztunali pulled a goal back for Bremen, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan restored the hosts' two-goal advantage before the interval.

A Theodor Gebre Selassie goal made things interesting late on, but Bremen could not find an equaliser as their own European dreams were shattered.

Marco Reus was back in the Dortmund starting XI for the first time after six weeks out injured while Roman Weidenfeller returned in goal with the Westphalians at full strength.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rattled the post early on as Dortmund were straight onto the attack in the Westfalenstadion.

They were rewarded with two goals in just a handful of minutes putting them in command of the game.

Kagawa netted the first after Ilkay Gundogan intercepted a pass and set the Japanese midfielder up to beat Koen Casteels.

Aubameyang added the second after a good exchange of passes with Kagawa, and the game was already leaning heavily in the hosts' favour.

Oztunali gave Bremen a sniff with his first Bundesliga goal in the 26th minute, and one he will remember for a while too with a good turn and finish.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was on target as Dortmund overcame Werder Bremend 3-2.

Mkhitaryan's third for Dortmund will be arguably more memorable, though, as he chipped Casteels to restore the hosts' two-goal cushion just before half-time.

Casteels made a great save to deny Reus a goal early in the second half as the game continued at the same scintillating pace it had sustained throughout the first 45 minutes.

Just as the game started to peter out, Gebre Selassie made things interesting by beating Weidenfeller from close range.

Dortmund held on for a win which sees them finish seventh and at least in the qualifying round for the Europa League next season, whereas a win in the DFB-Pokal next weekend would turn that into an automatic group-stage berth.