Borussia Dortmund 'deeply regret' attacks on RB Leipzig fans
Borussia Dortmund have said they deeply regret attacks against RB Leipzig supporters, including women and children, before the sides’ Bundesliga game on Saturday.
Dortmund police filed 28 charges for breaches of the law concerning explosives, assault, dangerous bodily injury, damage to property and theft after Leipzig supporters were pelted with stones and cans by Dortmund fans as they approached the stadium. Four police officers and a police dog were injured, the police said in a statement
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“Dortmund strongly condemns this violence,” the club said in a statement on its website on Sunday.
Dortmund police said they were forced to use batons and pepper spray to prevent the situation from escalating. They said: “All in all, extreme aggression and readiness for violence could be established among the Dortmund fans against the visitors. This was directed against any person who could be identified as a Leipzig fan, regardless of whether they were small children, women or families.”
Dortmund said they were working with police to deal with the incidents, and it wished injured Leipzig fans a speedy recovery.
On the pitch, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal on 35 minutes. The Gabon forward, who came back after the hosts’ early exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, headed in after a thrilling run and cross from winger Ousmane Dembélé.
Dortmund could have further pressed home their advantage in the second half, with Aubameyang and Marco Reus both failing to make the most of good chances. The win takes them up to third.
The Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich’s winning run came to an end as Schalke battled to a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.
Robert Lewandowski fired Bayern in front after just nine minutes, which seemed to set them up for what would have been a ninth straight victory in all competitions.
But the home side could defend their advantage for only four minutes as Arturo Vidal brought down Guido Burgstaller 20 yards out and Brazilian defender Naldo cracked in the free-kick.
Philipp Lahm made his 500th competitive appearance for Bayern when coming on as a 77th-minute substitute and could have seen his team secure a late winner, but Javi Martínez shot wide at the far post.
Hoffenheim are alongside Dortmund on 34 points after they beat Mainz 4-0 at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena. Mark Uth volleyed the home side into a lead in the fourth minute but it was not until late on when Hoffenheim finally made sure of the result.
Substitute Marco Terrazzino added a second with nine minutes left, before Adam Szalai’s late double added a gloss to the final scoreline.
Hertha Berlin saw off Ingolstadt 1-0 at the Olympiastadion, where the game’s only goal came inside the first two minutes. Salomon Kalou broke down the left flank before his cross was sent past goalkeeper Martin Hansen by Genki Haraguchi, the Japan forward’s first goal of the season enough to end a two-match losing streak.
Cologne also kept up their top-six challenge with a 1-0 win over Wolfsburg thanks to a late penalty from Anthony Modeste. Konstantin Rausch had seen a corner curl against the Wolfsburg crossbar in the second half, while at the other end Luiz Gustavo headed over.
The Frenchman Modeste, though, produced the decisive moment when he scored from the spot with just nine minutes left having been fouled for the penalty.
Borussia Mönchengladbach continued their unbeaten run under their new coach, Dieter Hecking, with a 3-0 victory over Freiburg.
Captain Lars Stindl opened the scoring on 73 minutes when his shot went in off the post, before Brazilian frontman Raffael doubled the lead from close range five minutes later and substitute Patrick Herrmann added a third in injury time.