Erling Haaland returns with a bang for Borussia Dortmund against Mainz
Erling Haaland marked his comeback with a second-half brace as Borussia Dortmund earned a 3-1 win over Mainz.
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Mainz
Goals: 1-0 Reus 2', 2-0 Haaland (pen.) 55', 2-1 Burkardt (assist: Lee) 87', 3-1 Haaland (assist: Bellingham) 90'+3
Dortmund welcomed back Haaland following a three-game absence due to injury, but it was the left boot of Marco Reus that rocketed the home side into an early lead. Thomas Meunier's right-wing cross deflected into the path of the BVB captain, who thundered an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net from 16 yards. Haaland went within a whisker of getting his head to a Julian Brandt cross, before Meunier side-footed wide following a powerful Haaland run. Mainz squandered a promising three-on-three with their only meaningful foray into Dortmund territory, and were hugely fortunate not to go fall further behind as Moussa Niakhate cleared a Reus free-kick off the line, and Robin Zentner thwarted Haaland on the stroke of half-time.
Dominant in the first half and on the front-foot straight from the restart, Dortmund didn't have to wait too long to stretch their lead. Shortly after Aaron Martin deflected a Meunier cross narrowly wide, Haaland won and converted a penalty following a lengthy VAR review for handball against Silvan Widmer. Karim Onisiwo threatened a response, but could not land his difficult lobbed attempt on target after beating the offside trap. Mats Hummels glanced a Reus corner against the far post as the contest opened up, before Jean-Paul Boetius forced Gregor Kobel into a strong reaction save with a shot from distance. Mainz substitute Jonathan Burkardt reduced the areas following a miscued Kobel clearance, but Haaland tucked away a pass from Jude Bellingham to seal the deal in added time with his 49th Bundesliga goal in as many games.
Match stats
- Haaland is averaging a Bundesliga goal every 61 minutes this season (nine goals in six games).
- Reus has scored 14 times in 21 games against the 05ers.
- Dortmund are the only Bundesliga team with a 100 percent home record in 2021/22. They have not lost at the Signal Iduna Park in the league since 3 April 2021 (nine matches).
- BVB have conceded at least once in their last 11 Bundesliga matches.
- There were 63, 812 spectators in attendance - the highest number at Dortmund since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Burkardt scored his fifth Bundesliga goal, and second against BVB. He's also netted twice against record champions Bayern.
Watch: Jude Bellingham talks up Erling Haaland
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Line-ups
Dortmund: Kobel - Meunier, Akanji, Hummels (Pongracic 67'), Schulz - Bellingham, Can (Witsel 85'), Brandt (Wolf 78') - Reus (c) (Reinier 85') - Haaland, Malen (Hazard 67')
Unused subs: Hitz, Passlack, Knauff
Out: Coulibaly (knee), Dahoud (knee), Guerreiro (muscular), Morey (knee), Moukoko (muscular), Reyna (thigh), Schmelzer (knee), Zagadou (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose
Mainz: Zentner - Tauer, Bell (Burkhardt 69'), Niakhate (c) - Widmer, Barreiro (Lee 69'), Stach (Papela 83'), Lucoqui (Martin 46') - Boetius, Ingvartsen (Hack 69') - Onisiwo
Unused subs: Dahmen, Brosinski, Stöger, Nemeth
Out: Kohr (suspended), St. Juste (shoulder), Szalai (knee)
Coach: Bo Svensson
Watch: Bo Svensson admits to Mainz struggles
Related news
Leverkusen back in title race
The defending champions surged back into the race to retain their Bundesliga crown on Matchday 14, narrowing the gap behind Bayern to just four points.
How do Bayern and Leipzig stack up?
Bayern take on recent rivals Leipzig in their final game before the winter break. The record champions vs. the young pretenders - how do they compare?
Felix Nmecha: "We'll keep fighting"
The Germany international spoke to bundesliga.com about his evolving role, Nuri Şahin and Dortmund's aims for the rest of the season...