Haller fires Dortmund to the top in Germany
SÉBASTIEN HALLER fired Borussia Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga with one round remaining by scoring two goals in a 3-0 win at 10-man Augsburg yesterday.
The Ivory Coast striker made the breakthrough against the home team’s stubborn defence in the 59th minute and sealed the win in the 84th. Julian Brandt got Dortmund’s third in injury time.
It lifted Dortmund two points clear of 10-time defending champions Bayern Munich going into the final round. Bayern’s defeat the previous day to Leipzig handed the initiative to Dortmund.
“Now we have to sleep six times, and be awake once,” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzić, whose team hosts Mainz for its final game on Saturday. Bayern visit Cologne for their last game at the same time.
Dortmund, who were without star player Jude Bellingham because of a knee injury, pressured from the start and caused several alarms i n the tightly packed Augsburg defence.
Augsburg goalkeeper Tomáš Koubek deflected Haller’s shot over in the best early chance.
Dor tmund’s frustration appeared to be growing until Felix Uduokhai was sent off in the 39th with a direct red card, after a VAR review, for stopping Donyell Malen when the Dortmund winger would have been through on goal.
If anything, however, it ensured the home team was even more defensive. Enrico Maaßen’s side had one shot at goal in the first half, compared to 17 from the visitors.
Haller made the breakthrough when Maximilian Bauer cut out Malen’s cross but let the ball fall for Haller, who needed no second invitation to turn and shoot inside the far post.
Terzić brought on Marco Reus in the 81st and the captain had an immediate impact, drawing a good save from Koubek three minutes later. Haller was there to seal the result from the rebound.
The visiting fans responded by singing, “German champions will only be BVB.”
“If someone had told me six months ago that I’d be in this position, I wouldn’t have believed it,” said Haller, who missed the preparation and opening half of the season while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for testicular cancer.
Japan midfielder Wataru Endo scored one goal and set up another as Stuttgart moved out of the relegation zone with a 4-1 win in Mainz.
Stuttgart, previously second from bottom, moved ahead of Bochum (32 points) on goal difference and one point above Schalke with one round of the league remaining. Hertha Berlin, last on 26 points, were relegated on Saturday.