bundesliga

Jadon Sancho helps Borussia Dortmund beat bottom-placed Darmstadt on Bundesliga return

15.01.2024

Jadon Sancho made a winning return to Borussia Dortmund, supplying an assist for Marco Reus as goals from him, Julian Brandt and Youssoufa Moukoko snapped a four-game winless run for the Westphalians at bottom-placed Darmstadt.

Darmstadt 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Brandt 24' (assist: Bynoe-Gittens), 0-2 Reus 77' (assist: Sancho), 0-3 Moukoko 90'+3 (assist: Sabitzer)

Darmstadt made a confident start for a team rooted to the bottom of the Bundesliga, but that confidence took a blow when Dortmund drew first blood. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens was the architect, picking the ball up in his own half and skipping past two players along the right-hand touchline before sending Brandt through, and the German did not even need to break his stride as he cut the ball into the bottom left-hand corner with just one touch. The goal came from a transition, and the fact most of Dortmund's threat was coming on the break was credit to the hosts, who were not sitting back shyly. They were struggling to create chances, though, and a Tim Skarke shot was as much as the Lilies could muster, as they left the field a goal down at the interval.

Luca Pfeiffer delivered an early effort on Gregor Kobel's goal in the second half as the team propping up the division tried to find a way back into the game, but Dortmund had an ace up their sleeve, and he entered just 10 minutes into the second period. Sancho made his second Dortmund debut – and his first competitive appearance since August – as he and Reus replaced the pair who had combined for the goal, though Darmstadt continued to probe and Kobel had to make a fine save to deny Pfeiffer from point-blank range. Sancho and Reus then rolled back the clock to combine for Dortmund's second, the Englishman marking his return with a familiar assist for the man he last teed up to score in May 2021. Moukoko then wrapped up the points with a fine individual effort, hammering in off the underside of the crossbar for added effect as Dortmund took the points.

Watch: Sancho returns to Dortmund

Match stats

Brandt is Dortmund's leading scorer this season with six goals. Brandt has also contributed seven assists, a number only bettered by Bayern Munich's Leroy Sané across the entire division.
At least one goal has fallen in the last 144 Bundesliga fixtures featuring Dortmund.
Darmstadt's 43 goals conceded is a new record for a Hinrunde (first half of a season) in the Bundesliga.
This was Sancho's 46th assist in his 105th Bundesliga game.
Sancho's last Bundesliga assist, on 16 May 2021, also set up a goal for Reus.

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Teams

Darmstadt: Schuhen - Riedel, Klarer, Maglica - Bader (Vilhelmsson 46'), Franjić, Holland (c), Karić - Kempe (A. Müller 87') - Pfeiffer (Torsiello 87'), Skarke (Zimmermann 87')
Unused subs: Brunst, Isherwood, Schnellhardt, J. Müller, Gjasula
Out: Honsak (ill), Hornby (ankle), Manu (ankle), Mehlem (broken leg), Nürnberger (ankle) Seydel (calf)
Coach: Torsten Lieberknecht

Dortmund: Kobel - Meunier, Can (c), Schlotterbeck (Süle 88'), Maatsen - Sabitzer, Özcan, Brandt (Reus 55') - Malen (Reyna 88'), Füllkrug (Moukoko 81'), Bynoe-Gittens (Sancho 55')
Unused subs: Meyer, Morey, Wolf, Blank
Out: Adeyemi (ankle), Bensebaini (international duty), Haller (international duty), Hummels (ill), Nmecha (hip), Ryerson (knee)
Coach: Edin Terzić