# Erling Haaland's Wing Defense: How Borussia Dortmund Defended Against His Explosive Goals
In the world of professional football, defenders play a crucial role in protecting their team's backline and preventing goals from being scored. However, when it comes to the likes of Erling Haaland, defenders have to work even harder to contain his explosive goalscoring ability. In this article, we will examine how Borussia Dortmund defended against Haaland's exploits during the 2021-2022 season.
## The Haaland Phenomenon
Erling Haaland is known for his incredible goal-scoring abilities, particularly as a winger. During the 2021-2022 season, he scored 55 goals for Borussia Dortmund, which was the highest number of goals scored by any player in that league season. This made him one of the most prolific scorers in European football history.
## The Challenges
Despite Haaland's impressive goalscoring record, defending him was not an easy task for Borussia Dortmund's defense. Haaland is skilled at using his pace, agility, and finishing ability to create opportunities for himself and others on the pitch. Additionally, he has a knack for taking headers and shooting from distance,Bundesliga Tracking which can be difficult to defend against.
## The Solution
To protect their backline, Borussia Dortmund employed several strategies to stop Haaland. One of the key defenses was their midfielders, who were tasked with marking Haaland closely and limiting his movement. They used their speed and agility to stay close to him and prevent him from getting into scoring positions.
Another important aspect of the defense was their full-backs, who were responsible for closing down Haaland on the wing and preventing him from receiving passes or creating chances. They used their height and strength to stand up to Haaland and force him into mistakes.
Finally, Borussia Dortmund also relied heavily on their goalkeeper, Marco Reus, who had excellent reflexes and a strong shot-stopping ability. He was able to make crucial saves to deny Haaland and keep the ball out of the net.
## Conclusion
While Erling Haaland is undoubtedly a talented player, his explosive goalscoring ability makes defending him challenging. However, Borussia Dortmund's defense was able to effectively contain him during the 2021-2022 season through a combination of midfield discipline, full-back pressure, and excellent goalkeeper performance. By working together as a unit, they were able to prevent Haaland from scoring many of his goals and maintain their position at the top of the league table.