Dortmund crush Cologne amidst controversy
BERLIN: Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in a minute as Borussia Dortmund went back atop of the Bundesliga after a 5-0 hammering of Cologne, who fumed over a controversial goal.
After losing at Tottenham Hotspur in midweek in the Champions League, Dortmund needed just 111 seconds to take the lead at home on Sunday.
Winger Andrey Yarmolenko fired in a cross which was headed home by fellow new- signing Maximilian Philipp.
On the stroke of half-time, Cologne goalkeeper Timo Horn fumbled a cross and defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos tapped home the loose ball to make it 2-0 at the break.
There were furious protests from Cologne, as replays showed the whistle went before the goal was scored, but it stood even after the video assistant referee (VAR) checked.
“We will not sign off on the match log and will protest immediately,” said Cologne manager Joerg Schmadtke.
“That was clearly a wrong decision which decided the game.”
Aubameyang slotted home a penalty after the VAR spotted a hand-ball on 59 minutes and just 58 seconds later the Gabon striker bagged his second from a Lukasz Piszczek’s pass.
Aubameyang, last season’s top scorer in the Bundesliga, now has four goals in as many league games, one behind Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.
Philipp then grabbed his second of the game with a deft chip to cap three Dortmund goals in 10 minutes.
In the dying stages, Dortmund coach Peter Bosz gave a Bundesliga debut to Swedish wunderkind Alexander Isak, who turns 18 on Thursday.
Cologne’s strong protests over the second goal went down badly in the Dortmund camp.
“The only thing which is clear is that Cologne can’t take losing,” said Borussia’s CEO Hans- Joachim Watzke.
“And if you can’t take losing, then you turn to bad methods.
“If you do so after losing 5-0, then hats off,” he added sarcastically.
The win leaves Borussia top on goal difference from second-placed Hanover with defending champions Bayern Munich third and just a point behind after Saturday’s 4-0 win at home to Mainz when Lewandowski scored twice.