Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Man City: Player ratings as draw suits both teams

Manchester City have secured top spot in their Champions League group with a game to spare following a 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund, who themselves have also booked a place in the knockout rounds in the New Year.

The game hinged on Riyad Mahrez failing to convert a second half penalty, with Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel making a match-defining save.

With City already assured of a last 16 place prior to kick-off, Pep Guardiola saw fit to make a handful of changes to his lineup, leaving Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench. But while the visitors dominated the ball, it was Dortmund who had the best of the early chances.

Julian Brandt struck a free-kick that narrowly missed the target and ricocheted off the pitchside hoardings into the side netting. Karim Adeyemi, the elder statesman in the Dortmund front three at 20 years of age, should have done better when he went through and hit it straight at Stefan Ortega.

Ortega was again called into action when Giovanni Reyna got into a good position. But the ensuing shot was too weak to ask any meaningful question of the stand-in City goalkeeper.

Yet Ortega would have stood no chance had Youssoufa Moukoko hit the target with a glorious chance in front of goal, failing to properly connect when Adeyemi fired into the penalty area. In the closing stages of the first half, Ortega gathered from Moukoko’s shot.

Erling Haaland, who will have been disappointed at his return to Signal Iduna Park, didn’t reappear after half-time, while Guardiola also opted to withdraw Joao Cancelo at the break.

Even with less of the ball, Dortmund had been the stronger side for an hour and deserved to be in the lead by the time Emre Can momentarily lost his head and needlessly scythed down Mahrez in a crowded penalty area. Fortunately for Can, Kobel guessed right and saved Mahrez’s subsequent effort from 12 yards, to a roar from the iconic yellow wall behind the opposite goal.

Kobel later had to make a smart stop from the otherwise quiet Julian Alvarez, with Phil Foden just unable to gather in the rebound. It was a sign that the tide was starting to change as City created more meaningful chances than they had done in the first half and Dortmund were subdued.

Ultimately, a point was all that either side needed and the draw served them both well.

Borussia Dortmund vs Man City - Player ratings

1. Borussia Dortmund (4-3-3)

GK: Gregor Kobel - 8/10 - His second half penalty save proved crucial in putting Dortmund into the last 16. Made another decent save.

RB: Niklas Sule - 7/10 - Did his job to quash the threat on that side.

CB: Mats Hummels (c) - 9/10 - Rolled back the years with a vintage performance that kept Haaland super quiet.

CB: Nico Schlotterbeck - 7/10 - A strong performance against a dangerous opposition.

LB: Thorgan Hazard - 7/10 - Occupied a very high position with Dortmund in possession. Disciplined off the ball.

CM: Jude Bellingham - 6/10 - Continues to impress at the highest level but, overall, has had far better nights than this one.

CM: Emre Can - 6/10 - Sat deep and stifled City through the middle but conceded a penalty in a moment of madness. Had his goalkeeper to thank.

CM: Julian Brandt - 6/10 - Involved in some good Dortmund play. Went close with a first half free-kick.

RW: Karim Adeyemi - 7/10 - A clear threat down the right flank. Seemed to fade just a little in the second half.

ST: Youssoufa Moukoko - 6/10 - Squandered a glorious chance in the first half that would have changed everything. At 17, he lacks experience.

LW: Giovanni Reyna - 5/10 - Had a tame shot comfortably saved by Ortega. Easily the least involved of the front three.

SUB: Donyell Malen (73' for Adeyemi) - 5/10 -

SUB: Anthony Modeste (82' for Moukoko) - N/A

SUB: Marius Wolf (82' for Hazard) - N/A

SUB: Antonios Papadopoulos (87' for Reyna) - N/A

Manager: Edin Terzic - 8/10 - His starters served him well, with attacking changes to later freshen things up in the final stretch of the game.

2. Man City (4-4-2)

GK: Stefan Ortega - 8/10 - Surprisingly the busier goalkeeper and made the most of this chance in the side with a string of first half saves.

RB: John Stones - 7/10 - Good on his first club action in over a month.

CB: Ruben Dias - 6/10 - Saw a lot of the ball as City kept possession ticking.

CB: Nathan Ake - 7/10 - Moved from the centre over to left-back in the second half. Did well in both positions.

LB: Joao Cancelo - 4/10 - Dortmund's biggest threats came down his side of the pitch. Sometimes too caught up trying to attack.

RM: Riyad Mahrez - 5/10 - Had been pretty quiet until he won, took and missed the second half penalty.

CM: Rodri - 6/10 - Hardly misplaced a pass and ensured City controlled the ball.

CM: Ilkay Gundogan (c) - 6/10 - Led the team in De Bruyne's absence.

LM: Phil Foden - 5/10 - Grew into the game after a quiet first half, still didn't do a great deal to influence things.

ST: Julian Alvarez - 5/10 - Had one decent chance that was well saved.

ST: Erling Haaland - 4/10 - Not is night against his former club. Pocketed by Hummels and pretty ineffective.

SUB: Manuel Akanji (46' for Cancelo) - 7/10

SUB: Bernardo Silva (46' for Haaland) - 6/10

SUB: Jack Grealish (81' for Foden) - N/A

SUB: Cole Palmer (88' for Mahrez) - N/A

Manager: Pep Guardiola - 6/10 - Rested some starters and took more off at half-time. It wasn't a masterstroke but it didn't backfire either.

Player of the match - Mats Hummels

For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!