Borussia Dortmund have climbed to second in the Bundesliga, level on 17 points with Bayern Munich, after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Signal Iduna Park. The victory arrived late, with substitute Maximilian Beier scoring in the 80th minute to settle a tense contest that had been goalless deep into the second half. It was a result that underlined both the team's resilience and their current reliance on individual moments rather than dominant performances.

The win came with a notable subplot around Felix Nmecha. The midfielder was withdrawn in the 79th minute having struggled to reproduce the form that made him one of the Bundesliga's standout players last season. Coach Niko Kovac has acknowledged publicly that Nmecha is not yet at the level expected of him, citing physical conditioning and consistency as ongoing concerns. With transfer interest from Manchester United and AS Roma circling, according to Transferexperte Gianluca Di Marzio, the pressure on Nmecha to rediscover his best form is building from multiple directions.

Defender Ramy Bensebaini also drew attention after the Frankfurt match, delivering a composed performance despite his reduced role this season. Reports suggest the club have no current plans to extend his contract beyond its expiry, leaving his future uncertain.

Dortmund now turn to the DFB-Pokal, where they host Werder Bremen on Tuesday evening at 20:45. The tie offers Kovac's side a chance to build momentum ahead of next weekend's Bundesliga clash with Bayern Munich.