Saturday, October 16, 2021 at 5:23 PM• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk • Last update: 17:36

Borussia Dortmund can call itself the leader of the Bundesliga for the time being and is confidently working towards the Champions League match with Ajax. The team of coach Marco Rose won 3-1 against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, thanks in part to two goals from Erling Braut Haaland. The lead over Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, who face each other on Sunday, is two points: eighteen at sixteen. Mark van Bommel suffered the third loss in a row with VfL Wolfsburg at 1. FC Union Berlin (2-0) due to, among other things, a goal from Sheraldo Becker and has only one point left in the last four matches. Jurgen Ekkelenkamp took the winning goal of Hertha BSC against Eintracht Frankfurt as a substitute, 1-2.

Borussia Dortmund – FSV Mainz 05 3-1
The devil in the first half was in the opening phase and in the last minutes before the break. Rose’s team took the lead after three minutes of play. A cross from Thomas Meunier from the right could not be cleared well, after which Marco Reus beautifully chased the ball into the top corner behind goalkeeper Robin Zentner: 1-0. Dortmund had no less than eighty percent possession of the ball in the first half, but was unable to create great opportunities until the final phase. After a good pass from Donyell Malen, Erling Braut Haaland faced Zentner, who stopped the Norwegian from scoring. The rebound seemed to be a prey for Jude Bellingham, but Moussa Niakhaté turned his effort with a header on the goal line.

A handball by Silvan Widmer in the penalty area, after VAR interference, was the basis of the 2-0. Haaland, who made his comeback as a basic force, chose to shoot the ball through the middle from eleven meters. Zentner, going to the corner, still got his hand against the ball, but couldn’t prevent a goal. The visitors, without the suspended Jeremiah St.Juste but with Jean-Paul Boëtius, did not give up and had the prospect of a connecting goal, but goalkeeper Gregor Kobel always stood in the way.

Malen was replaced by Thorgan Hazard after 67 minutes and saw how Mainz made it 2-1 in the last minutes via Jonathan Burkardt, after a misstep by Kobel. However, the three points remained in Dortmund, as Haaland struck once more in extra time. Bellingham released the attacker for Zentner, who could not prevent a goal: 3-1.

1. FC Union Berlin – VfL Wolfsburg 2-0
The first company in Berlin was certainly no Chancen Festival. The biggest opportunity came for the visitors after 25 minutes of play. After a good action by Lukas Nmecha, who was preferred by Van Bommel over Wout Weghorst who was not in shape, it was Dodi Lukebakio who shot the ball against the post from about three meters. The home team, with Sheraldo Becker initially on the bench, could not impress offensively and so it remained 0-0.

Union Berlin took the game after the break. It was Taiwo Awoniyi who shot the ball through goalkeeper Koen Casteels’ legs after a good attack: 1-0. Come on eighteen minutes before time, Becker signed the final chord by heading the ball behind the unhappy-looking Casteels in minute 83 at the far post. That was one minute after Weghorst had a header, who had come in the lines in the 68th minute. Union Berlin is in an excellent fifth place after its third win in a row.

Eintracht Frankfurt – Hertha Berlin 1-2
The score was opened by the visitors after seven minutes of play. A cross from Vladimir Darida was perfectly tailored for Marco Richter, who was then able to head in: 0-1. On the stroke of half-time, Krzysztof Piatek had the perfect opportunity to double the margin on behalf of Hertha BSC. However, after Djibril Sow’s careless loss of the ball, the attacker shot over from about five meters high. Cold in the field, Ekkelenkamp shot the team of coach Pál Dárdai to 0-2 after an hour of play. The midfielder, who had already scored the winning goal against Greuther Fürth (2-1) a month ago as a substitute, was attentive at the far post to tap in a pass from Maximilian Mittelstädt. In the final phase, Gonçalo Paciencia brought back the tension in the match from the penalty spot: 1-2.

SC Freiburg – RB Leipzig 1-1
In an exciting first half, RB Leipzig took the lead after half an hour of play. Emil Forsberg misled goalkeeper Mark Fleks from the penalty spot: 0-1. Just before half time, the home team was then released unscathed, when Christopher Nkunku saw his shot hit the crossbar. In stoppage time Freiburg was still close to the equalizer. However, the post stood in the way of a goal by Lucas Höler. Halfway through the second half, the home side still tied the score. Woo-yeong Jeong was lost sight of by the Leipzig defense and was able to head in from close range: 1-1.

Greuther Fürth – VfL Bochum 0-1
At Greuther Fürth, the coming opponent of Feyenoord, Jetro Willems and Nick Viergever started as usual in the base, while Justin Hoogma, who recovered from an injury, remained on the reserve bench. It was clear from the game that it was going to be a basement buster, as both teams appeared to be mainly focused on keeping the clean sheet. The only real chance for peace was for Bochum striker Sebastian Polter, who shot over from close range. Even after the break there were few chances for the visitors, who found the net in the 81st minute. A free kick by Eduard Löwen was headed in by Anthony Losilla: 0-1.