European football: Dortmund beat flaky Cologne as chocolate coins stop game
Donyell Malen scored twice as Borussia Dortmund eased past hosts Cologne 4-0 on Saturday to close in on third spot.
The visitors were stronger from the start and the Dutch international Malen put them in front in the 12th minute after drilling in from Julian Brandt’s corner. The game then had to be interrupted for eight minutes after fans threw chocolate coins on to the pitch in protest of the planned sale of a stake in the Bundesliga media rights firm to an investor.
While Dortmund gradually took their foot off the gas, Cologne almost levelled right after the restart with Jan Thielmann’s point-blank effort palmed wide by keeper Gregor Kobel. Cologne’s Linton Maina then hit the woodwork with a superb effort in the 50th minute before Dortmund struck against the run of play when Jadon Sancho was brought down in the box.
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Niclas Füllkrug stepped up and converted the spot-kick in the 58th minute to double their lead and only three minutes later Malen scored his second goal after he latched on to a sensational Ian Maatsen pass to slot in.
Substitute Youssoufa Moukoko tapped in a fourth in stoppage time.
Dortmund are in fifth place on 33 points. and only a point behind VfB Stuttgart in third after they slumped to a 1-0 loss at Bochum. Matus Bero sealing the win for the home side with a strike quickly after the second half began.
Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen twice came from a goal down and then scored a second half stoppage time winner through Piero Hincapié to snatch a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig and remain unbeaten in the league this season. Xabi Alonso’s team are now on 48 points from 18 games, with second-placed Bayern Munich, who play Werder Bremen on Sunday, on 41 from 16 matches.
Piero Hincapié scores in added time to seal Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-2 win over RB Leipzig. Photograph: Annegret Hilse/Reuters
Leipzig completely overran the visitors early in the first half and had missed two golden chances by the time they took a seventh minute lead with Xavi Simons’ superb goal after he twice controlled the ball in the air and then turned on the spot to beat keeper Lukas Hradecky. Leverkusen were nowhere to be seen in the first half and also had Jeremie Frimpong taken off injured after half an hour.
But they shot out of the blocks after the break, equalising in the 47th minute through Nathan Tella after being left completely unmarked at the far post and tapping in an Alejandro Grimaldo cutback. They came close with Florian Wirtz a little later but Leipzig went back in front against the run of play with a textbook break and a one-touch finish from their top scorer Loïs Openda in the 56th.
That, however, only lasted seven minutes as the visitors drew level once more with Jonathan Tah rising high at the far post to head in a curling Jonas Hofmann corner. The visitors’ sensational comeback was complete in stoppage time when Hincapié shook off his marker and slid in at the far post to connect with Grimaldo’s corner.
In Serie A, Stephan El Shaarawy orchestrated both goals for Roma as they snapped a three-match winless streak with a 2-1 home win over Verona, securing newly appointed manager, Daniele De Rossi, a perfect start.
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After 19 minutes, Roma broke the deadlock as El Shaarawy made a run into the box before passing to the unmarked Romelu Lukaku, who scored his ninth league goal of the season. Six minutes later, the hosts doubled their lead as El Shaarawy flicked a cross towards Lorenzo Pellegrini at the back post and the midfielder volleyed into the roof of the net.
Verona had a chance to get back into the match shortly after the hour mark when they were awarded a penalty for a handball on Diego Llorente, but Milan Djuric’s spot kick went wide. They finally pulled one back in the 76th minute when Michael Folorunsho unleashed a curled shot from around 30 metres, catching Roma keeper Rui Patrício off guard as the ball slipped through his gloves.
Roma are eighth with 32 points, while 18-placed Verona sit in the relegation zone with 17 points. The atmosphere at the crowded Stadio Olimpico was mostly vibrant and supportive as fans gathered to witness the start of a new era following the departure of coach José Mourinho.
Milan needed a stoppage time goal from Noah Okafor to earn a 3-2 win at Udinese. The match made headlines when Mike Maignan and his Milan teammates walked off the pitch during the first half after the goalkeeper apparently indicated to the referee Fabio Maresca he had heard racist abuse from the crowd at the Stadio Friuli.