Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund defeated its host Cologne 4-0 on Saturday, in the eighteenth round of the German Football League.
Published on: 01/20/2024 – 18:49 Last updated: 01/20/2024 – 19:07
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The Dutchman Donyiel Malen (16 and 61), Niklas Volkrug (58 from a penalty kick), and substitute Youssoufa Moukoko (90 + 2) took turns scoring the Dortmund quartet.
Dortmund achieved its second victory in a row after defeating Darmstadt 3-0 in the last stage, after suffering before the winter break, as it scored only 7 points out of a possible 24 in 8 matches.
Dortmund raised its score to 33 points in fifth place, equal to fourth place Leipzig, which hosts leaders Bayer Leverkusen later today, and a point behind third-placed Stuttgart, which lost to its host Bochum with a goal from Slovakian Matus Biro (50).
Stuttgart, which lacks the efforts of its Guinean striker Serho Geraci, the second top scorer in the Bundesliga with 17 goals, due to his association with his country’s national team in the African Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast, suffered its second loss in a row after falling to Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-3 in the last stage.
The start of the second half of the match between Bochum and Stuttgart was delayed by approximately forty minutes, due to security reasons in the visiting club’s fan area.
The Stuttgart ultras (hardcore fans) displayed banners dedicated to them in the corner of the Bochum stadium, and the match referee refused to resume the second half because they were blocking the emergency exits of the home team, before retracting his decision.
The match between Borussia Dortmund and Cologne was also stopped for eight minutes due to protests by the ultras of the two clubs against the project that was approved by the League with the arrival of an investor.
Since mid-December, fans have revolted against a project approved by a two-thirds majority at a general meeting of the League, which provides for the entry of an investor into professional German football.
After Dortmund opened the scoring through Malen in the 12th minute from a corner kick taken by Julian Brandt, the resumption of play was delayed for several minutes, while those in charge of the match cleaned the field of many pieces of candy, which were thrown initially by the Cologne Ultras, then by Dortmund.
The fans also chanted anti-League slogans, before play resumed in the 20th minute, after an eight-minute pause.
-Sancho shines again-
Englishman Jadon Sancho played his first starting match since his return to Dortmund on loan from Manchester United, after he excelled from the bench against Darmstadt by passing the ball for the second goal.
Sancho received a penalty kick at the beginning of the second half after he fell inside the area as a result of contact with Dane Rasmus Carstensen, and Volkrug converted it successfully.
“Jadon could have scored the penalty too,” Volkrug told local broadcaster Sky. “He could score next week.”
At other stadiums, similar protests occurred with support strikes until the 12th minute (referring to the 12th player) and candy being thrown onto the pitch.
Freiburg beat its guest Hoffenheim 3-2 and strengthened its chances of winning a European seat.
Freiburg took the lead with goals from Lucas Höller (37th) and Vincenzo Grifo (55th), and Hoffenheim equalized through Dutchman Wout Weghorst (57th) and Maximilian Bayer (77th), before the home team snatched the three points thanks to Hungarian Roland Szalai (85th).
The referee sent off Freiburg defender Manuel Golde in the 82nd minute.
Freiburg raised its score to 28 points in seventh place, while Hoffenheim’s score froze at 24 points in eighth place.
Eintracht Frankfurt gave up a two-goal lead against Darmstadt, bottom of the standings, to score 2-2.
Frenchman Nils Nkunku (33) and Ansgar Knauf (51) scored for Frankfurt, and Darmstadt equalized through Julian Gastphen (61) and Austrian Christopher Klarer (90+5).
Wolfsburg continued to drop points by drawing against Heidenheim 1-1, in a match that was stopped for 12 minutes due to protests.
The stage competitions continue on Sunday, with Bayern Munich II playing Werder Bremen, and Borussia Mönchengladbach playing Augsburg.
© 2024 AFP
2024-01-20 17:49:04
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