Bundesliga: Haaland returns, scores 2 for Dortmund to go prime

Erling Haaland scored twice on his return for Borussia Dortmund to beat Mainz 3-1 and transfer to the highest of the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Haaland blasted a penalty straight down the center within the 54th minute and sealed the lead to damage time to maneuver Dortmund two factors away from Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen forward of their eighth-round sport on Sunday.
Haaland missed Dortmund’s earlier three video games with what the membership stated have been muscular issues. The workforce struggled in his absence with a loss at Borussia Monchengladbach adopted by slender wins over Sporting Lisbon and Augsburg.
But it was captain Marco Reus who opened the scoring on Saturday, unleashing a superb shot together with his left boot inside the highest proper nook within the third minute.
Dortmund went on to dominate the sport with nearly 80% possession within the first half alone.
Thomas Meunier fired narrowly vast after Haaland did effectively to carry up the ball, and the Norwegian was concerned once more earlier than the break when he drew a very good save from Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner. Haaland adopted up and despatched the ball again in towards aim, the place Jude Bellingham’s effort was cleared off the road by Moussa Niakhate.
Haaland used sheer drive to attain Dortmund’s second after Silvan Widmer was penalized by way of VAR for hand ball after the ball hit his elbow. Mainz coach Bo Svensson was booked for sarcastically applauding the choice to award the spot kick. Zentner acquired his hand to Haaland’s centrally positioned shot however couldn’t preserve out the shot.
Jonathan Burkardt’s 87th-minute aim prompted a late push from the guests, however Bellingham gained the ball off a defender and crossed for Haaland to seal the outcome with what was successfully the final play of the sport. He has 13 targets in eight video games this season.
BERLIN BELIEF
Both Berlin groups gained: Union defeated Wolfsburg 2-0 to stretch its unbeaten report at dwelling within the Bundesliga to 21 video games, and Hertha claimed a shock 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Hertha goes by way of extra upheaval following the abrupt resignation of CEO Carsten Schmidt for household causes on Tuesday. The former SKY TV chief had been within the job lower than a yr.
Hertha had misplaced each sport aside from wins towards the 2 promoted sides, so its followers have been bracing for extra disappointment in Frankfurt.
But Marco Richter’s gentle contact to Vladimir Darida’s cross despatched the ball in off the appropriate submit within the seventh minute, and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp scored what proved to be the winner within the 63rd to ease the strain on coach Pal Dardai.
Union is as much as fifth after its third consecutive league win.
Taiwo Awoniyi opened the scoring after halftime after some tremendous play from Genki Haraguchi and Max Kruse. Wolfsburg coach Mark van Bommel despatched on Wout Weghorst and Ridle Baku to spice up his workforce’s attacking menace, and Sheraldo Becker sealed the win within the 83rd.

FREIBURG STAYS UNBEATEN
Modest Freiburg stays the one unbeaten workforce after holding Leipzig to 1-1 in its first Bundesliga sport at its new stadium.
Jeong Woo-yeong canceled Emil Forsberg’s penalty for Leipzig.
Anthony Losilla’s late aim was sufficient for Bochum to win at Greuther Furth 1-0 within the duel between promoted sides.
Gladbach hosted coronavirus-hit Stuttgart within the late sport.