Football in Germany – Two goals in three minutes give Dortmund victory

Updated8 January 2022, 21:03

The BVB returned on Saturday 6 lengths from Bayern, thanks to a reversal of the situation at the very end of the match. In addition, the leaders condemn the closed doors in the stadiums.

REUTERS

Dortmund, with Gregor Kobel in goal but without Manuel Akanji, snatched a precious victory in extremis (3-2) on Saturday in Frankfurt, to return to six points from Bayern beaten on Friday, during an 18th day of the Bundesliga marked by the return of the camera in all stages, a measure now much less well accepted by the clubs than at the beginning of the pandemic.

Led 2-0 until the 71st minute, thanks to a brace from the Colombian from Frankfurt Rafael Borré, Borussia first came back to 2-1 (Thorgan Hazard), before switching the match in three minutes at the very end game, by Jude Bellingham (2-2, 87th) then Mo Daoud (3-2, 89th).

The Ruhr players thus take advantage of Bayern’s misstep, undermined by the Covid (nine infected players), defeated Friday night at home by Mönchengladbach (2-1).

Hoffenheim on the podium

Behind, the other winner of the day is Hoffenheim, moved from fifth to third place thanks to a 3-1 victory once morest Augsburg, with a brace from Togolese Ihlas Bebou.

Freiburg, who conceded a draw at home once morest Bielefeld (2-2), clings to fourth place, synonymous with qualification for the Champions League.

Leipzig regains wings

Good deal also for Leipzig, who returned to victory by outclassing Mainz 4-1. The RB, author of its worst start to the season since its accession to the first division in 2016, is trying to relaunch with its new coach Domenico Tedesco, who took over from Jesse Marsch in December, sacked. Tedesco started with a win, a draw and then a loss in December.

The 4-1 festival on Saturday once morest Mainz – which has evolved with Silvan Widmer throughout the meeting – will it be the signal for return matches finally in line with the club’s ambitions? It was in any case the work of two players from whom the Saxons expect a lot: the Portuguese international striker Andre Silva scored twice, and Christopher Nkunku, who is at the gates of the France team, was once once more decisive , with one goal and two assists. The RB is provisionally 8th, but is approaching five points from the top 4, the goal set by its leaders.

Two club presidents, desperate for the new period of closed session that begins. publicly accused this week the political power of instrumentalizing football to make it a “symbol” of the fight once morest the pandemic.

“Explain to me why the concert halls receive 750 people twice a day, with an occupancy rate of 45%, and that in the open air stadiums no spectators are allowed”, the boss of Borussia Dortmund got upset. Hans-Joachim Watzke.

His Union Berlin counterpart Dirz Zingler accused politicians “of using the force of football to convey their own ideas, their own political objectives (…) in the media, in the air of + We must do something visible thing + “.

“Designating the stands as a place of contamination is dishonest”, he added, stressing that the spectators, when they were admitted, were all vaccinated or cured, wore masks and were physically separated, because of the reduced gauges. effective this fall.

Hoffenheim on the podium

In Hoffenheim, it was the Togolese Ihlas Bebou who scored twice to seal a 3-1 victory once morest Augsburg. Andi Zeqiri and Ruben Vargas, exited in the 60th and 67th minutes respectively, started in the defeated camp.

Hoffenheim is thus rewarded with a regular course by settling on the podium in third position with 31 points, to the nose and the beard of Friborg and Leverkusen, which occupied before this day the third and fourth places, qualifying for the League of champions.

Leverkusen saves a point

Friborg, the surprise team in the first half of the league, did not take advantage of Bayern’s misstep to get closer, conceding a 2-2 draw in the 87th minute following leading 2-0 until the hour game once morest Bielefeld, 17th and relegation. The club are now fourth with 30 points. Cédric Brunner played the whole game for the Arminia, while Edimilson Fernandes remained on the bench.

Leverkusen, who haven’t won any of their last five matches, drew 2-2 in the 84th minute at home once morest Union Berlin, thanks to a header from international Jonathan Tah. Bayer slips into 5th position with 29 units. Czech Patrik Schick opened the scoring for Leverkusen, scoring his 17th goal of the season, making him the second highest scorer in the Bundesliga behind Robert Lewandowski (20 goals).

(AFP)