After three consecutive games without a win, Borussia Dortmund have managed to turn things round. In their away match against Sabah FK, manager Niko Kovac’s plan paid off. A key part of this was down to one player, who treated himself to a birthday present.
There is a huge sense of relief at BVB. Even before the crisis talk could really gather momentum, Dortmund ended their winless run. The victory in Azerbaijan was more than just a much-needed result. The team showed an upward trend, particularly in attack, and created several top-class chances.
“We played a really good game going forward,” said Kovac, praising his team. Following a recent run of uninspired performances, BVB had been lacking creativity and cutting edge in particular. This time, the manager showed a knack for getting the line-up right. A key component: Carney Chukwuemeka, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday.
Kovac’s plan with Chukwuemeka pays off
Kovac responded to the recent dip in form with a change in formation. Behind the strike partnership of Fabio Silva and Serhou Guirassy, he fielded, amongst others, Joey Veerman, Felix Nmecha and, of course, birthday boy Chukwuemeka.
“We need players who can make a difference,” explained Kovac before the match. Following Konstantinos Karetsas’s absence, the team had been missing a player capable of breaking down defences in one-on-one situations and creating numerical advantages through dribbling. Chukwuemeka was brought in to fill precisely that gap.
It came as quite a surprise that the English-Austrian whirlwind was even in the starting line-up. It was only due to Konstantinos Karetsas’s absence (ligament injury) in the match against Union Berlin that he became a serious option. For Chukwuemeka, this was only his second start of the season following the cup opener against Hamburg Eimsbütteler BC (5–0).
The 23-year-old was frequently available for a pass, looked to get into space behind the defence and took on opponents one-on-one. He mostly operated in the number 8 role, but also pushed forward into the attack when Guirassy dropped back. Not every move was successful, but his dribbling tied up defenders and created space. “He did really well,” Kovac agreed after the victory. Dortmund had recently been lacking such ideas, particularly against deep-lying opponents.
Chukwuemeka poses a threat
The midfielder was also involved in Dortmund’s most dangerous moves. Before the opening goal, he linked up well with Fabio Silva and made a dangerous run into the opposition’s penalty area. Although his attempt was blocked, the move eventually led to Guirassy’s goal following a shot from Felix Nmecha.
In the 70th minute, Chukwuemeka once again set up the striker brilliantly. Following a dynamic run, he played a perfect pass to Guirassy, but the player who had already scored twice failed to capitalise on the golden opportunity.
Chukwuemeka thus demonstrated the qualities he can bring to Dortmund: a drive towards goal, creativity and the courage to seek solutions even in tight situations. Against Sabah, he provided the evidence that had been lacking recently.
But Kovac was also impressed by his work off the ball: “I also thought he did well defensively. He put in the effort; he went in for the challenges.”
From unlucky player to rising star
Chukwuemeka’s time at BVB has been up and down so far. During his first loan spell from Chelsea FC, he impressed particularly as a substitute. In the summer of 2025, Dortmund finally signed him on a permanent basis for 20 million euros – a stroke of luck. Everyone agreed on that.
But the hoped-for step forward in his development failed to materialise. Knee problems and muscle injuries kept setting him back, meaning he never really found his rhythm. Even in the Austrian national team – which he opted to represent in March, despite having played for the English youth teams – he has yet to establish himself as a regular. The initial euphoria within the ÖFB squad quickly faded.
Chukwuemeka has now been at Dortmund for over a year and a half. Recently, he has barely featured. Against Sabah, the midfielder suddenly found himself back in the spotlight.
It wasn’t quite a breakthrough performance yet. But if Chukwuemeka stays fit and builds on this performance, he could offer Kovac an additional option in attack. For BVB, it would be as if they’d signed a new player.