Home Sport Soccer Dortmund rout Schalke to close gap on Bayern

Dortmund rout Schalke to close gap on Bayern

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Borussia Dortmund were at their best as they hammered traditional rivals Schalke as Bundesliga action returned on Saturday.

DORTMUND – Borussia Dortmund thrashed traditional rivals Schalke 4-0 to close the gap on champions and leaders Bayern Munich to one point as the Bundesliga restarted on Saturday after a two-month break caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The outcome of the match played with no spectators present left second-placed Dortmund on 54 points from 26 games, behind Bayern who visit Union Berlin on Sunday.

Dortmund, who had won seven of their last eight games before the league was halted in mid-March, picked up where they left off as Portugal midfielder Raphael Guerreiro scored twice while Erling Haaland and Thorgan Hazard added a goal each.

The hosts celebrated a first league win over Schalke since November 2015 while the visitors stretched their winless league run to eight games, having scored only twice in the process.

Wolfsburg stretched their unbeaten league run to seven games with a 2-1 win at Augsburg inside an empty Augsburg Arena.

Wolfsburg took the lead two minutes before halftime when Renato Steffen used the pace of a cross to head home from 15 metres out, giving a diving Andreas Luthe no chance to make a save.

The home side equalised from a second-half set piece when John Brooks’ headed clearance went the wrong way, came off goalkeeper Koen Casteels’ hands and hit the bar before bouncing on the line where Tin Jedvaj was on hand to head it home.

However, Wolfsburg capitalised in stoppage time when Kevin Mbabu’s low cross found substitute Daniel Ginczek inside the six-yard box and his poacher’s finish gave the visitors all three points.

The Bundesliga’s bottom side Paderborn rode their luck as they came away with a potentially vital point in a 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Paderborn had lost four in a row before the German league was suspended in March but a point on their return to action will boost their hopes of survival.

They moved onto 17 points, one behind Werder Bremen, while Fortuna stay third from bottom with 23 as they were left to rue some poor fortune on a sunny afternoon at the Dusseldorf Arena.

Fortuna’s Valon Berisha twice struck the woodwork as he continued his search for a first goal for his new club since moving on loan from Lazio in January. Team mate Steven Skrzybski was also unfortunate to see his strike cannon back off the post in the last 10 minutes.

Paderborn might well have snatched an unlikely win three minutes from time but Nigerian international Jamilu Collins squandered a good chance from close range to secure what would have been an unlikely triumph.

Reuters

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