Dortmund Snaps Winless Streak in Bundesliga as Union Berlin Stops Losing

Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)
Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)
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Dortmund Snaps Winless Streak in Bundesliga as Union Berlin Stops Losing

Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)
Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)

English teenager Jamie Bynoe-Gittens scored one goal and set up another Saturday as Borussia Dortmund fought back to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-2 and snap a three-game winless run in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund, which drew with Eintracht Frankfurt and then lost to lost Bayern Munich and Stuttgart, was seemingly on its way to a third straight defeat with Gladbach leading 2-0 after 28 minutes.

But Marcel Sabitzer pulled one back two minutes later, Bynoe-Gittens set up Niclas Füllkrug to equalize two minutes after that, and Füllkrug returned the favor for Bynoe-Gittens to score just before the break.

It was his first league goal of the season on his fourth appearance.

The 19-year-old Bynoe-Gittens was only playing as Dortmund made two late changes with forwards Karim Adeyemi and Sébastien Haller dropping out through illness.

Donyell Malen sealed the win on a counterattack in injury time.

UNION RELIEF

Kevin Volland scored for Union Berlin to salvage a 1-1 draw against Augsburg – ending the team’s nine-game losing run in the league in what was its first match since a coaching change.

There were tributes to former coach Urs Fischer and assistant Markus Hoffmann before the game. Successors Marco Grote and Marie-Louise Eta – the first female assistant coach in the 60-year history of the Bundesliga – endured a frustrating match before Volland scored in the 88th minute.

The former Germany forward fired inside the right post after Robin Knoche – who had a penalty saved – headed on a free kick from Josip Juranović.

But it was an uncertain start from Union, harassed by the visitors’ constant pressing. Kevin Behrens went closest for the home team.

Then Robin Gosens was penalized for a challenge on Augsburg’s Arne Engels, though it seemed both were going for the ball. Referee Florian Badstübner stuck to his decision after a VAR check and Ermedin Demirović converted the penalty to a chorus of whistles in the 40th.

Union had the chance to equalize from another penalty awarded after a VAR check, but Augsburg ’keeper Finn Dahmen saved Knoche’s spot kick.

Volland's late goal – his first for Union – came as a relief.

“It’s an important step in the right direction,” Grote said.

LEVERKUSEN KEEPS WINNING

Bayer Leverkusen returned to the top with a 3-0 win at Werder Bremen. Leverkusen leads by two points from 11-time defending champion Bayern Munich after 12 rounds.

Leverkusen had a slice of fortune when Bremen’s Olivier Deman scored an own-goal while attempting a clearance in the ninth, and Jeremie Frimpong grabbed the visitors’ second goal before the break. Álex Grimaldo sealed the win in the 76th.

Leverkusen has won every Bundesliga game this season apart from its 2-2 draw with Bayern in Munich in the fourth round.

REFEREE INJURED

Stuttgart beat Frankfurt 2-1 away in the late game thanks to two goals from Deniz Undav – in the first minute and just before the break.

Referee Felix Brych matched Wolfgang Stark's record for Bundesliga games as he took charge of his 344th, but he was unable to finish it because of a knee injury and had to be replaced at the break.

Many of Frankfurt's ultra fans left their places before kickoff to protest what they say was heavy-handed treatment by police.

Also, Wolfsburg beat Leipzig 2-1 and Freiburg drew with Darmstadt 1-1.



Late Guirassy Goal Seals Win as Dortmund Cuts Bayern’s Bundesliga Lead to 3 Points

07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)
07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)
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Late Guirassy Goal Seals Win as Dortmund Cuts Bayern’s Bundesliga Lead to 3 Points

07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)
07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)

Serhou Guirassy scored late for Borussia Dortmund to cut Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga lead to three points on Saturday with a 2-1 win at Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg dominated the second half with Mohamed Amoura missing several good chances and Maximilian Arnold striking the crossbar.

Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier hit the underside of the bar with a deflected shot in the first half, when Julian Brandt opened the scoring with a header from Julian Ryerson’s corner in the 38th for the visitors.

Konstantinos Koulierakis replied in similar fashion after the break with a header from Arnold’s free kick, but Wolfsburg was to rue not taking its chances to score more.

Guirassy pounced for the winner in the 87th after good play between Fábio Silva and Felix Nmecha.

“That’s part of football,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovač said of his team’s scrappy win. “But then to decide it with one action is also a quality.”

Eighteen-year-old Italian defender Luca Reggiani went on late for Dortmund for his Bundesliga debut.

American winger Kevin Paredes made his first Wolfsburg start since April 25 after recovering from two operations on his right foot.

Bayern, which failed to win its last two games, can restore its six-point lead with a win over high-flying Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Borussia Mönchengladbach was hosting Bayer Leverkusen later.

Bremen loses on coach's debut

Werder Bremen’s coaching change did little to alter its fortunes as the team lost 1-0 in Freiburg on Daniel Thioune’s debut.

Jan-Niklas Beste let fly and found the top far corner in the 13th for Freiburg, which had Johan Manzambi sent off early in the second half for a foul on Bremen’s Olivier Deman.

Thioune’s team was unable to capitalize on the extra player and is now 11 league games without a win. Bremen faces a visit from Bayern next weekend.

Welcome win for St. Pauli

St. Pauli boosted its survival hopes with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Stuttgart.

The Hamburg-based team remained second-from-bottom, but it opened a four-point gap on bottom side Heidenheim, which lost 2-0 at home to Hamburger SV. Bremen's defeat means St. Pauli is just two points from the relegation playoff place.

Mainz keeps winning

Nadiem Amiri scored two penalties, one in each half, for Mainz to beat Augsburg 2-0 for its third straight win.

Amiri ripped off his distinctive carnival-inspired jersey as he celebrated the second one to seal the win. The thoughtful Lee Jae-sung picked it up so he could resume when the celebrations died down.

Mainz next visits Dortmund.


Man United Wins Again to Make It Four in a Row for New Coach Michael Carrick

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United scores the 2-0 goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, in Manchester, Britain, 07 February 2026. (EPA)
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United scores the 2-0 goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, in Manchester, Britain, 07 February 2026. (EPA)
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Man United Wins Again to Make It Four in a Row for New Coach Michael Carrick

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United scores the 2-0 goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, in Manchester, Britain, 07 February 2026. (EPA)
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United scores the 2-0 goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, in Manchester, Britain, 07 February 2026. (EPA)

It's four Premier League wins in a row for Manchester United under Michael Carrick and a season that was unraveling just weeks ago now looks full of promise.

A 2-0 victory against Tottenham on Saturday extended Carrick's 100% start as head coach and will further strengthen his case to be given the job on a long-term basis.

“Michael has won everything here and he knows what it means for these fans, what it means for the club to win and how much is needed to win in this football. I think that adds something special to the team,” United captain Bruno Fernandes told TNT Sports.

It was the first time in two years that United has won four straight league games and boosted its hopes of a return to the lucrative Champions League after missing out for the last two years.

Bryan Mbeumo and Fernandes scored in each half at Old Trafford in a game that saw Spurs reduced to 10 men after captain Cristian Romero was sent off in the 29th minute.

Carrick has transformed United's fortunes since he was parachuted in to replace the fired Ruben Amorim last month. Initially given a contract until the end of the season — having previously had a three-game interim spell in 2021 — his impressive impact will likely put him in serious contention to keep the job as the club's hierarchy consider its long-term plans.

“I think Michael came in with the right ideas of giving the players the responsibility, but some freedom to take the responsibility on the pitch, doing the decisions that were needed,” said Fernandes. “He's very good with the words.

“I think he still remembers what I told him the last time he was our manager for our last game. I was sure that Michael could be a great manager, and he’s just showing it.”

United is fourth and after moving up to 44 points, the 20-time English champion has already exceeded last season's total of 42 points for the entire campaign.

Fernandes’ goal, with a controlled finish off his shin in the 81st, was his 200th goal involvement since joining United in 2020.

It sealed victory after Mbeumo had given United the lead in the 38th when firing low from a corner to score his 10th goal of his debut season at the club.

While United's captain was inspirational, Tottenham's Romero did his team no favors with his sending off in the first half.

Having described as “disgraceful” the fact that Spurs were reduced to 11 fit players for the draw with Manchester City last weekend, Romero hardly helped his team’s cause with his red card for a dangerous tackle on Casemiro.

The league's stats partner Opta said it was Romero's sixth sending off since joining the club in 2021 — more than any other Premier League player in that time.


Protesters in Milan Denounce Impact of Games on Environment

 A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, near the Olympic Village in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)
A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, near the Olympic Village in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)
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Protesters in Milan Denounce Impact of Games on Environment

 A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, near the Olympic Village in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)
A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, near the Olympic Village in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)

Thousands of people took to the streets of Milan on Saturday in a protest over housing costs and environmental concerns on the first full day of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

The march, organized by grassroots unions, housing-rights groups and social center community activists, is seeking to highlight what activists call an increasingly unsustainable city model marked by soaring rents and deepening inequality.

The Olympics cap a decade in which Milan has seen a property boom following the 2015 World Expo, with locals ‌squeezed by soaring ‌living costs as an Italian tax scheme for ‌wealthy ⁠new residents, ‌alongside Brexit, draws professionals to the financial capital.

Some groups also argue that the Olympics are a waste of public money and resources pointing to infrastructure projects they say have damaged the environment in mountain communities.

A banner stretched across the street read: "Let's take back the cities, let's free the mountains."

CARDBOARD TREES SYMBOLIZE DESTRUCTION

"I’m here because these Olympics are unsustainable — economically, socially, and environmentally," said 71-year-old Stefano Nutini, standing beneath a Communist ⁠Refoundation Party flag.

He argued that Olympic infrastructure had placed a heavy burden on mountain towns hosting events ‌in the first widely dispersed edition of the Winter ‍Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) points out ‍that the Games are largely using existing facilities, making them more sustainable.

At ‍the head of the procession, about 50 people carried stylized cardboard trees to represent the larches they said were felled to build a new bobsleigh track in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

"Century-old trees, survivors of two wars...sacrificed for 90 seconds of competition on a bobsleigh track costing 124 million (euros)," read another banner.

MARCH TAKES PLACE UNDER TIGHT SECURITY

According to police estimates, more than 5,000 people were taking part in the ⁠march.

Protesters set off from the Medaglie d'Oro central square to cover nearly four kilometers (2.5 miles) to end in Milan's south-eastern quadrant of Corvetto, a historically working-class district.

A rally last weekend by the hard-left in the city of Turin turned violent, with more than 100 police officers injured and nearly 30 protesters arrested, according to an interior ministry tally.

Saturday's protest follows a series of actions in the run-up to the Games, including rallies on the eve of the opening ceremony that denounced the presence in Italy of US ICE agents and what activists describe as the social and economic burdens of the Olympic project.

The march is taking place under tight security ‌as Milan hosts world leaders, athletes and thousands of visitors for the global sport event, including US Vice President JD Vance.