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FC Bayern München v Borussia Dortmund - Bundesliga 2026/27Getty Images

'Smell the ball!' – Fabio Silva reveals father's golden advice after 90th-minute Klassiker heroics

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Silva rescues point with dramatic late strike

Borussia Dortmund forward Fabio Silva produced late heroics to earn BVB a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Trailing 2-1 in the 89th minute, the Portuguese attacker pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area to blast a 90.6 km/h strike past Jonas Urbig.

The goal marked Silva's third league netter of the campaign through eight matchdays, already surpassing his entire tally from the previous season.

His strike ensured Dortmund remain undefeated and level on 18 points with the German record champions.

Dad's advice proves decisive in penalty box

Speaking post-match, Silva attributed his sharp goalscoring instincts inside the box to guidance from his father. "We came here to win. That has to be our mindset this season. We have a lot of quality in our team, and we know we have a fantastic team this year," Silva stated.

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"The guys who start and who come off the bench — they always make an impact. That's something we want everyone to see."

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"My dad always told me that I have to smell the ball in the box, and I was there to smell the second ball. I’m glad I was able to help the team," he added.

Super subs set unprecedented Bundesliga record

Silva's late impact was set up by fellow substitute Konstantinos Karetsas, cementing BVB's extraordinary strength from the bench. Dortmund substitutes have now registered 13 attacking points (five goals and eight assists) this season, setting a new Bundesliga record through eight matchdays.

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Additionally, seven of Dortmund's 14 goals this term have come after the 80th minute.

Silva's contribution highlighted the squad depth built under head coach Niko Kovac.

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Portuguese forward targets continued impact

Silva's timely strike provides Dortmund with immense momentum as they maintain their title challenge alongside Bayern.

The forward will look to build on his impressive scoring form in upcoming domestic and European fixtures.

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BVB turn their attention to their next Bundesliga encounter.

A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.

 

Football Story

Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.

 

Areas of Expertise

Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .

 

Favourite Footballing Memory

Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.

 

My All-Time XI

It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.