Dortmund keep social distance

■ Borussia blank Schalke 4-0 as football returns in Germany

Berlin, May 16: Norwegian sensation Erling Braut Haaland stole the limelight on Saturday as the German Bundesliga became the first major European football league to return since the Coronavirus lockdown, with teams playing in empty, echoing stadiums.

The 19-year-old striker claimed the first goal in Germany’s top flight for over two months to set Borussia Dortmund on the way to a 4-0 win over their local rivals Schalke.

Portuguese international Raphael Guerreiro then added two goals either side of a Thorgan Hazard strike as second-placed Dortmund moved to within a point of leaders Bayern Munich, who are chasing an eighth straight title and play Union Berlin away on Sunday.

Haaland steered a low Thorgan Hazard cross into the far corner on 29 minutes to claim his 10th goal in just nine Bundesliga matches.

He celebrated by dancing alone — making no contact with team-mates, who clapped him on — to comply with the strict hygiene guidelines which allowed the league to return.

In front of empty terraces and no more than 300 people allowed into Signal Iduna Park, which is normally packed with almost

● Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland, Raphael Guerreiro and Thorgan Hazard found the back of the net as live football resumed in Germany after 65 days.

82,000 fans, Guerreiro added Dortmund’s second goal just before half-time following an error by Schalke goalkeeper Markus Schubert.

Elsewhere, third-placed RB Leipzig were held to a 11 draw at home to Freiburg.

Bruno Labbadia made a winning start as Hertha Berlin coach with a 3-0 success at Hoffenheim.

UNION BERLIN TO PLAY WITHOUT COACH FISCHER

Meanwhile, Bundesliga giant-killers Union Berlin will be without head coach Urs Fischer for Sunday’s home clash against Bayern Munich after he broke the team quarantine following a family bereavement.

The guidelines for the German top flight’s restart include a week-long quarantine, which Fischer broke to join his family after the death of his father-in-law. — AFP

— AP Dortmund’s Erling Haaland (left) celebrates with his teammates — maintaining social distance — after scoring the opening goal in their German league match against Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany, on Saturday. Dortmund won 4-0.