Erling Haaland struck four goals in the second half and Youssoufa Moukoko came on to become the Bundesliga’s youngest ever player as Borussia Dortmund stormed back to beat Hertha Berlin in the capital.
Starting a run of 10 games in a month, Dortmund left new USA cap Gio Reyna and England winger Jadon Sancho on the bench, where – a day after his 16th birthday – Moukoko was also waiting in the wings for the first time. While the visitors would enjoy over 60 percent of the ball in the first half, Hertha always offered a threat. Dodi Lukebakio gave a hint of that in the opening 10 minutes when he sprinted from halfway to the edge of the area before firing over. Marco Reus then forced Hertha goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow into action at the other end with a tight-angled effort from 12 yards, before Matheus Cunha and Vladimir Darida looked to threaten for the home side. A Reus free-kick from the left flew just out of reach of Axel Witsel at the back post, but Brazilian attacker Cunha had better luck at the other end. He got a pass from Lukebakio out of his feet quickly before letting fly from 25 yards with a thunderous strike past Roman Bürki in the visiting goal. Dortmund almost levelled in first-half stoppage time, but Haaland was just about prevented from tapping home Raphael Guerreiro’s pass.
Haaland was able to get on the scoresheet within 75 seconds of the restart, though, finishing off a sweeping Dortmund move involving Thomas Meunier, Reus and finally, Emre Can before the former Salzburg striker – announced as the winner of the Golden Boy prize earlier in the day – tapped home. The Norwegian then made it two goals in three minutes when he ran on to Julian Brandt‘s through ball and drilled a shot beyond Schwolow. Peter Pekarik almost bundled home an equaliser for Hertha as the game opened up, but Haaland completed a 15-minute hat-trick when he latched onto Marvin Plattenhardt‘s stray backpass and slotted home after rounding Schwolow. Guerreiro got in on the act with 20 minutes left, scrambling the ball in from Meunier’s cutback. Cunha reduced the arrears from the penalty spot after Manuel Akanji felled Matteo Guendouzi but incredibly, Haaland wasn’t done yet. Straight from the restart Dortmund restored their three-goal advantage, with their striking sensation getting into double figures in the league after substitute Jude Bellingham slipped him through. Moukoko then replaced Haaland with four minutes remaining to become the youngest ever player to feature in the Bundesliga as Dortmund took home all three points and moved within one of Bayern at the top of the table.
