Erling Haaland's half century fires top-four hopefuls Borussia Dortmund past Werder Bremen
Erling Haaland scored his 49th and 50th Borussia Dortmund goals as the Black-Yellows moved to within four points of the UEFA Champions League qualification places with a come-from-behind win over Werder Bremen.
Borussia Dortmund 4-1 Werder Bremen
Goals: 0-1 Rashica (14'), 1-1 Reyna (29'), 2-1 Haaland (34'), 3-1 Haaland (38'), 4-1 Hummels (86')
Bremen's Leonardo Bittencourt and Dortmund's American teenager Gio Reyna exchanged shooting chances in an entertaining opening, before Milot Rashica beat the home side's offside trap and fired beyond Marwin Hitz to give Werder the lead. After Julian Brandt volleyed wide, BVB deservedly levelled as Reyna hit top bins with a stunning strike from the edge of the Bremen area. Haaland then made up for a seven-game run without a goal with a quick-fire brace. His first came via the penalty spot after Marco Reus had been brought down by Kevin Möhwald; his second was a routine finish into an empty net following pin-ball in the Bremen box. Jiri Pavlenka thwarted Jude Bellingham and Haaland went within a whisker of his third as the Black-Yellows motored into the half-time break.
Dortmund - sporting a 1990s-inspired limited edition kit - picked up where they left off after the restart, with Reus weaving his way into the area and testing Pavlenka. BVB's captain curled a sumptuous effort narrowly wide moments later, before Maximilian Eggestein provided Bremen with a moment of respite - and Hitz a real scare - with a breakaway shot against the woodwork. Haaland returned fire with a ferocious hit, which Pavlenka was grateful to see whistle over the crossbar. Bremen continued to make in-roads at the other end as Josh Sargent crashed a volley over and made Hitz work from 20 yards. Fellow substitute Davie Selke could do no better with a close-range header, and Dortmund took full advantage. After Haaland had an effort ruled out for offside and Reyna headed over, Mats Hummels bundled in a corner to seal a huge win in the context of the top-four race.
Match stats
- Haaland has scored 23 Bundesliga goals this season, and 36 in 39 league games since moving to Dortmund in January 2020.
- Dortmund's No.9 has scored twice or more in nine matches so far this season - a BVB record.
- All four of Reyna's Bundesliga goals have fallen in 2020/21, with three coming in the first half of games.
- Reus has scored more goals against Bremen than any other opponent: 14 in 18 Bundesliga matches, including six in his last five.
- Bremen are the only Bundesliga team to have lost their last five Bundesliga matches.
Watch: Haaland: "It's good to turn it around"
Line-ups
Dortmund: Hitz - Morey (Piszczek 46'), Akanji, Hummels, Guerreiro - Brandt (Hazard 74'), Bellingham, Dahoud (Can 61') - Reus (c) (Reinier 88'), Haaland (Tigges 88'), Reyna
Unused subs: Bürki, Schulz, Meunier, Knauff
Out: Delaney (Achilles' tendon), Moukoko (shin), Sancho (thigh), Schmelzer (knee), Witsel (Achilles' tendon), Zagadou (knee)
Coach: Edin Terzic
Bremen: Pavlenka - Veljkovic, Groß, Moisander (c) - Gebre Selassie, Eggestein, Möhwald (Sargent 59'), Friedl - Bittencourt (Schmid 33') - Osako (Selke 59'), Rashica (Mbom 88')
Unused subs: Zetterer, Augustinsson, Agu, Dinkci, Bargfrede
Out: Plogmann (knee), Toprak (calf), Woltemade (knee)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt
Watch: Reyna: "It was a good goal, I'll take it"
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