Dortmund deserved nothing from Augsburg defeat, says Kovac

Borussia Dortmund got what they deserved as they slumped to a demoralising 1-0 Bundesliga defeat to Augsburg on Saturday, believes coach Niko Kovac.

Jeffrey Gouweleeuw headed home from the first real chance of the game after 23 minutes at the Westfalenstadion, and that goal proved to be decisive as Dortmund toiled.

Last season’s Champions League runners-up only hit the target with one of their 14 shots, despite enjoying a 71.8% possession share and having 41 touches in the area to their opponents’ 15.

The result leaves Dortmund 10th in the table, seven points adrift of the top four and four behind RB Leipzig in sixth.

“We played a really bad game. We did not create chances, no intensity, no aggression,” Kovac said after full-time.

“So in the end we got back what we showed, which is nothing.”

Dortmund’s defeat came after back-to-back Bundesliga wins had breathed fresh life into their hopes of European qualification, but they are now rooted inside the bottom half.

They also face Lille in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, having drawn 1-1 in last week’s first leg at home.

Kovac is confident they will produce an improved display in France, adding: “Today is Saturday and until Wednesday a lot can happen in the life of a person and a team.

“I don’t want to paint everything black. The positive thing is we have four days to rest and to deliver a better performance.”

The Opta supercomputer makes Dortmund outsiders in their European tie, with just a 38% chance of advancing to the quarter-finals to Lille’s 62%.

Kovac’s team are given just a 0.5% chance of becoming European champions, with only PSV (0%), Club Brugge (0.1%) and Feyenoord (0.1%) having a lower probability.