Thorgan Hazard, Steffen Tigges on target as Borussia Dortmund earn scrappy 2-0 win over Köln

Borussia Dortmund weren’t at their best but managed to get the job done against FC Köln, with goals from Thorgan Hazard and Steffen Tigges securing a 2-0 win. 

Borussia Dortmund kept pace with title rivals Bayern Munich by earning a 2-0 win at home to FC Köln. Thorgan Hazard scored his third goal of the week to give his side the lead, before Steffen Tigges came off the bench and headed home his first ever goal for the senior team to wrap up the three points.

Marco Reus and Thorgan Hazard both returned to the starting XI as Marco Rose went without a natural striker in the team. The Borussia Dortmund head coach also decided to stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation, with Manuel Akanji replacing Emre Can in the back three.

Köln were the better team in the first half and forced Gregor Kobel into making some important saves. The Billy Goats also had a goal ruled out for handball as they kept the home side under the cosh in the first half. But despite Köln’s dominance, it was Borussia Dortmund who scored the opening goal.

Thorgan Hazard made a fantastic run into the box and headed Jude Bellingham’s lovely dinked ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0. The goal helped Borussia Dortmund go into the break with a narrow lead.

Köln continued to pile on the pressure after the break, and Kobel had to be alert to keep out Anthony Modeste’s header in the 50th minute and again in the 62nd minute. And Köln’s failure to convert their chances proved to be costly in the end, as substitute Steffen Tigges headed home from Julian Brandt’s corner for his first ever Bundesliga goal.

Köln kept searching for a way back into the game, but the two goal deficit proved to be too much in the end for Steffen Baumgart’s side. Borussia Dortmund managed to see out the win for their first clean sheet of the season. And more importantly, they secured the three points despite not being at their best.

Next week promises to be a defining one for Borussia Dortmund, as they go up against Ajax and RB Leipzig. And if Marco Rose’s side manage to win both games, they will certainly be in an excellent position going into the international break.