Borussia Dortmund win in Berlin as Golden Boy Erling Haaland scores four

Borussia Dortmund came away from the capital with all three points as Erling Haaland’s four goal haul helped sink Hertha Berlin in the second half.

Hertha Berlin went ahead in the first half through Matheus Cunha but the 2020 Golden Boy Erling Haaland hit top gear after the break by scoring a 15 minute hat-trick. 

Raphael Guerreiro extended the lead before Cunha responded for Hertha, only for Haaland to go straight down the other end to seal the game as a contest with his fourth goal.

Highly rated striker Youssoufa Moukoko made history as he came on late in the game to become the youngest ever player to play in the Bundesliga.  

Borussia Dortmund started the game slowly and in a very sluggish manner. And it nearly cost them early on as Hertha’s Dodi Lukebakio raced through but his effort sailed over the top of the bar inside the first ten minutes. Dortmund did create a few half chances of their own but it was the home side that took the lead just after the half hour mark, as Matheu Cunha picked up the ball from distance and rifled an effort past goalkeeper Roman Bürki.

The hosts went into half-time with a one goal lead but they weren’t to know what was about to hit them in the second half. Erling Haaland came out of the blocks very quickly, and netted two goals in quick succession, two low driving efforts that put Dortmund ahead.

The Norweigan forward showed great determination to win the ball back up the pitch and score past the Hertha goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick just past the hour mark. And it wasn’t too long before Raphael Guerreiro put the game almost out of sight. The full-back’s timing was excellent as he arrived in the box to latch onto a rebounded cross, which he gladly put into the back of the Hertha net.

Hertha were awarded a dubious penalty with just over ten minutes to go and Cunha stepped up to give his side a chance of a comeback. Their hopes, however, were extinguished quickly as Haaland ran down the other end of the pitch and scored Dortmund’s fifth after some neat play with Jude Bellingham. The three goal cushion allowed for the introduction of 16 year old Youssoufa Moukoko, as the striker became the Bundesliga’s youngest ever debutant.

Borussia Dortmund moved up to within a point of Bayern Munich with the 5-2 win, and will next host Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, before welcoming FC Köln to Westfalenstadion on matchday 9 of the Bundesliga next weekend.