Haller on scoresheet after cancer battle as Union knock Bayern Munich off top
Berlin, Germany - Sebastien Haller crowned his recent return from testicular cancer with an emotional first goal for Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, as Union Berlin knocked Bayern Munich off the top of the Bundesliga with a dramatic late win over Mainz.
Six months after a shock diagnosis which saw him miss the entire first half of the season, Haller finally opened his account for the club he joined last summer.
The Ivory Coast international’s second-half header prompted wild celebrations among his teammates and helped Dortmund to a 5-1 win over Freiburg which kept them within two points of leaders Union.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment since day one. When I
scored the goal, it felt like the whole stadium was on fire,” Haller told Sky.
“I am happy, but the way is still long, so we will keep walking and hope for more goals,” he added. Freiburg were reduced to 10 men early in the first half after French full-back Kiliann Sildillia was booked twice in the space of two minutes.
Former Freiburg player Nico Schlotterbeck then heaped more misery onto his old club, his low snapshot beating goalkeeper Mark Flekken at the near post to give Dortmund the lead.
Schlotterbeck and Niklas Suele handed Freiburg a lifeline with some farcical defending on the stroke of half-time, allowing Lucas Hoeler to sweep in an unexpected equaliser.
Yet Karim Adeyemi wriggled his way through the Freiburg box to restore the lead with a neat finish early in the second half, before goals from Haller, Julian Brandt and Giovanni Reyna completed the rout.