Last-gasp Erling Haaland goal for Borussia Dortmund breaks Fortuna Düsseldorf hearts
Erling Haaland scored a 95th-minute winner to deny relegation-threatened Fortuna Düsseldorf a big point against second-placed Borussia Dortmund at the Merkur Spiel-Arena.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Haaland (90'+5)
Fortuna failed to test Roman Bürki in a combative first half shaded, at least in terms of possession, by Dortmund. Düsseldorf's only opening of note came by way of a Markus Suttner punt up towards Kenan Karaman, whose shot on the spin was charged down by Mats Hummels. BVB fared marginally better in the final third, and really should have taken the lead midway through the half when Jadon Sancho sent Achraf Hakimi clean through on goal. The Real Madrid loanee had all the time in the world to pick his spot, but rushed his effort somewhat and could not beat the advancing Florian Kastenmeier. Sancho and Hakimi combined soon after to play in Julian Brandt, only for Fortuna defender Andre Hoffmann to lunge in with a heroic, goal-saving challenge.
Düsseldorf were much improved after the restart as Karaman threatened to get a shot away in the opposition area following an uncharacteristic error by Axel Witsel. Marcel Sobottka went closer still with a fierce strike from just inside the Dortmund area, but Bürki got down brilliantly to make the stop. BVB went straight up the other end and put the ball in the net, with substitute Haaland heavily involved in the build-up, but Raphael Guerreiro's thunderous volley was chalked off for an earlier handball following a VAR review. Fortuna grew in belief the longer it remained 0-0, and very nearly nicked it when substitute Steven Skrzybski struck the woodwork twice in the dying embers, only for Haaland to glance in from Manuel Akanji with virtually the last kick of the game. With three rounds of fixtures remaining, Fortuna sit above the automatic relegation zone on goal difference.
Match stats
- Haaland ended a run of two Bundesliga games without a goal. He has scored 11 times in 12 Bundesliga matches.
- Sancho is the second youngest non-German player in Bundesliga history to reach 75 top-flight appearances, aged 20 years and two months. Former BVB teammate Christian Pulisic hit the milestone a month earlier.
- Fortuna failed to register a single first-half shot on goal for the first time in a Bundesliga match since November 1996.
- Düsseldorf are winless in nine against top-five teams.
- Lukasz Piszczek - captaining the side in Marco Reus's absence - led the side out for his 250th Dortmund game in the Bundesliga.
Watch: Erling Haaland: "I waited for my chance"
Line-ups
Fortuna: Kastenmeier - Ayhan (c), Hoffmann, Suttner (Skrzybski 76') - Zimmermann, Stöger, Sobottka (Morales 76'), Berisha, Gießelmann - Karaman (Hennings 81'), Thommy (Zimmer 83')
Unused subs: Rensing, Kownacki, Ofori, Jorgensen, Bormuth
Out: Barkok (knock), Bodzek (suspended), Fink (calf), Steffen (knee), Wiesner (ankle)
Coach: Uwe Rösler
Dortmund: Bürki - Piszczek (c), Hummels, Akanji - Hakimi, Can, Witsel (Haaland 61'), Guerreiro - Brandt - Sancho, Hazard (Reyna 73')
Unused subs: Hitz, Schulz, Balerdi, Morey, Schmelzer, Pherai, Raschl
Out: Dahoud (knee), Reus (groin), Zagadou (knee)
Coach: Lucien Favre
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