Erling Haaland scored four goals and Youssoufa Moukoko became the youngest player in Bundesliga history as Borussia Dortmund beat Hertha Berlin 5-2 to move second on Saturday.
The buildup had been all about Moukoko, who was eligible for his debut after turning 16 on Friday. But Haaland stole the show on a cold night in Berlin before making way for the youngster’s debut in the 85th minute.
“I think he's the biggest talent in the world right now. 16 years and one day, that's quite amazing. He has a big career ahead of him,” Haaland said about Moukoko to ESPN. “I'm over 20 years, I'm getting old now. That's how it is.”
The first half was a hard-fought contest between two teams determined to close down the other’s space. Dortmund dominated possession but struggled to find gaps in Hertha’s committed defense.
In contrast, Hertha's Dodi Lukebakio was allowed too much room when he surged forward in the 33rd minute and Matheus Cunha let fly from outside the penalty area to break the deadlock.
It was a different story after the break. Haaland very quickly equalized when Emre Can sent a low cross to the far post for the Norwegian to convert from close distance.
Hertha was still recovering when Julian Brandt surged down the left and played a clever ball in to set up Haaland for his second in the 49th.
Dortmund’s players suddenly seemed to find plenty of space, and the visitors’ attacks kept coming.
A careless back pass from Marvin Plattenhardt led to Haaland’s third goal in the 62nd. Haaland got ahead of Omar Alderete and rounded the goalkeeper to complete his hat trick.
Raphaël Guerreiro scored Dortmund’s fourth in the 70th.
Cunha pulled one back with a penalty in the 79th, but Haaland replied a minute later with his fourth, set up by the 17-year-old Jude Bellingham.
Bayern frustrated
Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich fought back to draw with Werder Bremen 1-1 as its nine-game winning run across all competitions ended.
Maximilian Eggestein fired Bremen ahead before the break, but the visitors were unable to hold on for what would have been their first victory over Bayern since a 5-2 win in Munich in September 2008.
Leon Goretzka crossed for Kingsley Coman to equalize in the 62nd minute.
Bayern had won its last 19 games against Bremen since a 0-0 draw in September 2010, and coach Hansi Flick began with Goretzka, Serge Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich on the bench, while the 17-year-old Jamal Musiala made his first start.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who conceded six goals in Germany’s Nations League defeat to Spain on Tuesday, did well to deny Josh Sargent and even better when he followed up to thwart Ludwig Augustinsson from the rebound in the 16th.
Sargent held off Martínez’s challenge and pulled the ball back for Eggestein to break the deadlock just before halftime.
Milot Rashica missed a good chance to make it 2-0 after the break, before Bayern finally responded. Goretzka crossed for Coman to equalize at the near post.
Comedy goal
Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky will not be allowed to forget his own-goal that saw Arminia Bielefeld equalize without having had a shot on goal.
Hradecky slipped as he attempted to kick out Daley Sinkgraven’s back pass. He only brushed the ball as it continued into his goal for Bielefeld to equalize early in the second half.
Fortunately for the Finnish goalkeeper, Aleksandar Dragovic scored late as unbeaten Leverkusen prevailed 2-1.
Ten-man Augsburg also scored late to draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-1.
Schalke’s club record winless streak stretched to 24 games after losing 2-0 to Wolfsburg, and Hoffenheim conceded late to draw with Stuttgart 3-3.
Leipzig was held 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt and dropped to fourth.
