2019/20 Bundesliga: FC Koln 1-3 Borussia Dortmund - 3 Talking Points

If the 5-1 win against Augsburg was a performance that showed Borussia Dortmund were serious as an attacking force in the title race this season, the 3-1 beating of FC Koln away from home showed that this side has the grit to win games late in the day, as champions often do.

Dortmund found themselves behind from a set-piece goal by Dominick Drexler in the 29th minute and struggled for most of the first half to create a coherent chance. The second half saw Dortmund pick up the pace, and the last 20 minutes was when they really showed their mettle. All three of their goals came after the 70-minute mark.

Lucien Favre's side are known to stay in the game late on and strike the death blow when their opponents have been run ragged. It looks like that particular trend is set to continue for Dortmund.

FC Koln can take heart from this performance despite the harsh 3-1 scoreline. They put in a solid shift and looked close to getting their first points of the season, but were denied by a determined Dortmund side.

Here, we take a look at the major talking points of the game.

1. A performance of champions

It was a game that Dortmund may have dropped points in last season

Dortmund proved their title credentials in many ways. Having trailed since the 29th minute, they kept their heads to get back in the game and snatch the win. It wasn't the most fluent performance by any means, but champions win often even when they're not able to find top gear.

Mats Hummels made a huge difference to the side with his experience and presence. It felt like a game that Dortmund may not have won last season, but the German defender made his presence felt. He was immense at the back and brought the ball out well from the back. Most importantly, though, when you've trailed for so long in a game, you need the experienced heads to show you the way, and the likes of Hummels, Lukasz Piszczek, and Marco Reus stepped up in a big way today.

The win also keeps them on top of the table unless there's a crazy scoring day from one of the teams behind them.

2. Lucien Favre's substitution change games

Favre turned Alcacer into a super-sub last season and continues to work his magic from the bench

Lucien Favre is an excellent manager in many ways, but perhaps the most significant way in which he impacts games is his changes during the course of the 90 minutes.

The first half saw Dortmund harassed and harangued by some stellar pressing from the home team. Their early build-up, which they depend on heavily, was interrupted by this constant pressure. It isolated the best aspects of Dortmund's play in the interlinking of the forward players.

Favre's solution was to allow his wide players - Jadon Sancho and Thorgan Hazard - to fetch the ball from deep positions bringing them into the game a lot more. The biggest impact came with the double substitution that saw Achraf Hakimi and Julian Brandt replace Schulz and Weigl.

Both players added a different dynamic to Dortmund's play. Brandt crisped up the away side's passing between the lines and Hakimi provided pace and movement on the left. They would both be involved with the second goal for Dortmund as well, Brandt in the build-up and Hakimi on the scoresheet.

3. Two-faced Jadon Sancho

Sancho could be this Dortmund side's talisman, alongside Marco Reus

Had anyone only watched the first half of this game, they would've written off Sancho as a hack and a flop. The English winger couldn't get involved in the game at all, when he did, he would lose the ball or quickly play a safe pass. There was none of the usual taking on players and leaving them on the floor.

A different Jadon Sancho walked on to the pitch in the second half. The wonderkid received the ball and turned to take on opponents, play one-twos, weave intricate webs of passes around defenders to play his team-mates in, and plently of running into space.

He scored the equaliser to start the comeback and set-up Paco Alcacer's goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time in the second half to cap it all. It wasn't his best performance, but he still registered a goal and an assist. If he finishes the season as he has started it, he could be a big contender for Player of the Season.