Looks like the Bundesliga boys have made a creditable comeback, although in truth it may still be a little too early and too presumptuous to trumpet a fully successful return as yet
So far all seems smooth and fine with five games having been completed without any hitches so far today despite there being the familiar sights of a dominant Borussia Dortmund performance and VAR controversy amid some strange new conventions that took some getting used to.
The voices of players and coaches echoing around empty stadiums were pretty surreal, to say the least, with players donning face masks in the dressing rooms and during warm-up and in full compliance with social distancing protocols on the benches and for the pre-match pleasantries. It was all very orderly and commendable on everyone’s behalf.
Players are of course still trying to feel their way in after an awkward two months lay-off dling light personal training at home, but Dortmund certainly pulled no punches as they piled on the pressure on leaders Bayern Munich with a resounding 4-0 win in the Revierderby against old rivals Schalke that looked like they were still trying to shake off their sluggishness from their coronavirus-imposed hibernation.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring, gracefully stroking home Thorgan Hazard’s cross and saluting the empty stands, before Raphael Guerreiro doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time. Hazard lashed home a third three minutes into the second half before Guerreiro’s cheeky finish gave the hosts an unassailable lead.
The win puts Dortmund one point behind Bayern, who face Union Berlin on Sunday.
Third-placed RB Leipzig dropped points at home but were grateful it was only two in a 1-1 draw as Freiburg were denied victory when Robin Koch’s stoppage-time goal was disallowed by VAR. The defender was ruled marginally offside as the visitors were forced to settle for a point after Yussuf Poulsen’s 77th-minute header levelled for the hosts, who are now four points behind Bayern. Manuel Gulde had given Freiburg a 34th-minute lead as they moved up to seventh in the table.
Daniel Ginczek struck a stoppage-time winner for Wolfsburg as they snatched a 2-1 victory at Augsburg. The striker pounced from close range to move the visitors up to sixth in the table after Renato Steffen’s opener. Tin Jedvaj had levelled for Augsburg and Felix Uduokhai’s thought his header had put the hosts 2-1 ahead but was disallowed by VAR.
Hertha Berlin seemed at home in Hoffenheim’s empty PreZero Arena as a flurry of second-half goals gave them a 3-0 away win as Bruno Labbadia won his first game in charge. Kevin Akpoguma diverted Peter Pekarik’s shot into his own net after 58 minutes before Vedad Ibisevic guided a header home to score against his old club seconds later. Matheus Cunha made sure of the points as he cut in off the left wing to score a fine solo goal.
Fortuna Dusseldorf and SC Paderborn will both be grateful for the restart as it gives them at least the hope of climbing out of relegation trouble, though neither could take immediate advantage as they drew 0-0.
Fortuna will be the most frustrated after hitting the frame of the goal four times, the last of them a Steven Skrzybski shot which struck the left upright with nine minutes left.