Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 5:19 PM• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk • Last update: 17:28

In the run-up to the reunion with Ajax in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund has booked the third official victory in a row on Wednesday on German soil. Since the 4-0 beating in Amsterdam, Marco Rose’s team was too strong for Arminia Bielefeld (1-3), FC Ingolstadt (2-0, DFB-Pokal) and on Saturday also 1. FC Köln (2-0). With the win, Dortmund remains second in the competition behind Bayern Munich, which simultaneously won 2-5 at 1. FC Union Berlin. At the same time, VfL Wolfsburg put an end to a series of eight official duels without a victory in the first game without Mark van Bommel: Bayer Leverkusen was defeated 0-2.

Borussia Dortmund – 1. FC Cologne 2-0
Although Rose’s team went into halftime with a minimal lead, the visit from Cologne played meritoriously and held back most of the first half well. After twenty minutes Ondrej Duda was even close to a wonderful goal from a great distance, but Gregor Kobel, standing too far in front of his goal, just managed to get his fingers against the ball. Dortmund, with Donyell Malen on the reserve bench, took the lead five minutes before the break. After wonderful preparatory work by Jude Bellingham, the freed Thorgan Hazard headed the ball in from about five meters: 1-0.

FC Köln also made a good impression after the break and had a view of the equalizer when a header from the already diving Mark Uth went just wide. A few minutes after Malen’s entrance, replacing Hazard, Dortmund made it 2-0: after a corner from Julian Brandt towards the near post, another substitute, Steffen Tigges, headed the ball in. Rose’s team had much more confidence after the second goal, although that did not result in a bigger victory those Borus on.

1. FC Union Berlin – Bayern Munich 2-5
After just over half an hour of play, the match in Berlin was already over. Bayern was the dominant party and already led 0-3 after 34 minutes. A handball by Paul Jaeckel after fourteen minutes of play was penalized with a penalty, which was flawlessly converted by Robert Lewandowski. A good free kick by Lewandowski quickly resulted in the 0-2 and Leroy Sané took care of the 0-3 with a punch at the far post. FC Union Berlin, with Sheraldo Becker in the base, narrowed the disadvantageous margin just before half-time thanks to a striking effort by Niko Giesselmann from eight meters.

FC Union Berlin, which will meet Feyenoord in the Conference League on Thursday, was absolutely committed in the opening phase of the second half. Becker had the 2-3 on his shoe up to twice, but Manuel Neuer always stood in the way. Kingsley Coman’s individual quality led to the 1-4 after an hour of play: after a good dribble he shot the ball neatly in. Substitute Julian Ryerson quickly made it 2-4 from about five meters, but Julian Nagelsmann’s team did not relinquish the game. With a placed shot, Thomas Müller made it 2-5 eleven minutes before time.

Arminia Bielefeld – 1. FSV Mainz 05 1-2
Without the injured Jeremiah St.Juste but with Jean-Paul Boëtius in the base, the away team took the lead after 25 minutes. Stefan Ortega hit an attempt by Fabian Klos right into the feet of Lee Jae-Sung, which the Korean gratefully took advantage of: 0-1. It was then Mainz who took the lead, but the team got the equalizer just before the halftime signal from Jacob Larsen. A blunder by Amos Pieper ended the score in the visitors’ favor in the 69th minute. The young defender misjudged the onrushing Jonathan Burkardt, who kept his cool and shot past Ortega. Arminia tried with all her might to find the equalizer, but the scoreboard stopped moving.

Bayer Leverkusen – VfL Wolfsburg 0-2
With Gerardo Seoane’s team, Mitchel Bakker and Jeremie Frimpong started in the base, while Daley Sinkgraven started on the bench. Timothy Fosu-Mensah was not part of the match selection due to an injury. At VfL Wolfsburg, Wout Weghorst was unable to play after a positive corona infection and Micky van de Ven was kept on the bench by the new trainer Florian Kohfeldt. In an unexciting first half, the chances for both teams could be counted on one hand. Immediately after the break, the visitors took the lead. A pass from Dodi Lukebakio was changed direction, after which Lukas Nmecha was able to tap in from close range: 0-1. A few minutes later, Wolfsburg managed to increase the margin. Maximilian Arnold was alert by shooting in a rebound: 0-2. Leverkusen had the chance to score an honorary goal deep in injury time, but Lucas Alario failed from eleven meters.

SC Freiburg – Greuther Furth 3-1
The visitors, without Justin Hoogma but with Jetro Willems and Nick Viergever, fell behind after twenty minutes of play. Debuting Simon Asta headed the ball into his own goal without an opponent nearby: 1-0. Goalkeeper Mark Fleks saw how his team managed to increase the margin on the stroke of half-time. Nicolas Höfler headed in a corner from Vincenzo Grifo through the post: 2-0. Fifteen minutes before the end, Greuther Fürth seemed to bring back the tension in the match. A cross from Branimir Hrgota was convincingly shot in by Jamie Leweling: 2-1. Grifo gave Freiburg a comfortable lead a few minutes later from the penalty spot: 3-1.