Top-four hopefuls and DFB Cup winners Borussia Dortmund will hope Erling Haaland is at his wrecking-ball best against in-form Mainz on Sunday (kick-off: 6pm GMT+2).
1-4 Haaland (87’)
Dortmundbeat the same opposition 3-2 at home in the Bundesliga the previous weekend but it was Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer who had the first chance of Thursday’s showpiece event in Berlin - volleying over from outside the area. It wasn’t long before Dortmund created a clear opening of their own, though, a move which started when Marco Reus smartly dispossessed Kevin Kampl in the BVB half. Haaland and Mahmoud Dahoud then helped the ball onto Sancho and the England winger - who scored twice in the last match - inched into the area before whipping a wonderful strike into the far corner. Leipzig responded well and both Emre Can and Jude Bellingham picked up yellow cards as Dortmund worked hard to contain Julian Nagelsmann’s team. With Dortmund striker Haaland back from injury, however, Leipzig could never rest easy. The Norwegian still had plenty to do when he received the ball 30 yards out from Reus approaching the half hour mark, but he burst into the
3-2 Sancho (87 )
The injury-enforced absence of Erling Haaland - along with Nagelsmann s summer move to Bayern - dominated the pre-match chat, but Dortmund took it in their stride. After surviving an early scare when Marwin Hitz thwarted Leipzig s Hwang Hee-chan one-on-one, BVB forged ahead through captain Marco Reus. The Germany international started the move with a quite brilliant dummy of Lukasz Piszczek s inside pass, before continuing his run, collecting Thorgan Hazard s cool flick and firing beyond Peter Gulacsi with aplomb. The electric start gave way to a more measured approach for the remainder of the half, albeit with Dortmund asking all the questions. Hazard tested Gulacsi with a shot from inside the area, while Sancho drove into the side netting from a similar position following a lightning counter.
15 hours ago
Erling Haaland can help guide Borussia Dortmund a step closer to silverware if they can get past Bayern Munich s conquerors Holstein Kiel and Hauke Wahl in the DFB Cup semi-final on Saturday (kick-off: 8.30pm GMT+2).
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Haaland recently reached a half century of Dortmund goals, with braces in wins against Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg taking him to 53 in 56 appearances in Black and Yellow. The Norwegian has struck at least double in 14 different matches this season, including each of the last five Bundesliga matches when he’s netted. He was re-joined at the weekend by Jadon Sancho, who was making his first start since the start of March when BVB beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 in the quarter-finals thanks to his goal. Dortmund had earlier breezed past Duisburg (5-0) and Eintracht Braunschweig (2-0) before a nervy 3-2 extra-time win over Paderborn in the round of 16. The England winger has been on the scoresheet in all four rounds and should start once again. Ma
5 hours ago
John Brooks and Wolfsburg will have their hands full when Erling Haaland and Borussia Dortmund travel to the Volkswagen Arena on Saturday in a huge game in the context of the top four (kick-off: 3.30pm GMT+2).
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USMNT international Brooks has been a virtual ever-present at the heart of the second stingiest defence in this season s Bundesliga. Wolfsburg have been breached just 30 times in as many games in 2020/21, their rock-solid backline underpinning their push for UEFA Champions League football. They ve also been able to count on the goals of Wout Weghorst, who took his tally to a career-best 20 for the campaign with his strike in the 3-1 win at VfB Stuttgart in midweek. Brooks customary defensive partner Maxence Lacroix was rested for that game, but is expected to be rotated back in along with the suspension-free Paulo Otavio. Marin Pongracic and Jerome Roussillon will be the men to make way as Oliver Glasner s side chase the win that would - barring an end-of