COLONIA-. Jadon Sancho is picking up from where he left off Borussia Dortmund.
Sancho got a penalty in the 4-0 victory on Saturday against Colonia, it is his first duel as a starter with the Dortmund since 2021. Last week he arrived on loan from Manchester United because he had not played since August and two days later he assisted a goal against Darmstadt.
Donyell Malen gave Dortmund the lead in the 12th minute after a routine corner kick fooled the Cologne defense and the Dutch striker had time and space to shoot.
Sancho received the penalty in the 56th minute when he dribbled around the rival defense and center back Rasmus Carstensen pulled on his shirt. Niclas Füllkrug scored the penalty. Sancho’s role in the forward line was reminiscent of his last season in Germany in the 2020-21 campaign, when he had 16 goals and assisted on 20 in all competitions.
Malen scored the third shortly after thanks to a decisive move by another player on loan with Premier League side Dortmund. Ian Maatsen, who had just arrived from Chelsea, won the ball in his own half and threw it to Malen.
Sancho came off in the 66th minute in exchange for substitute Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who set up Youssoufa Moukoko’s fourth goal in added time.
Dortmund remains fifth with this result. Colonia is 17th in the 18-team league and remains winless in five games.
In other games, Eintracht Frankfurt gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with local rival Darmstadt. Freiburg, which was left with 10 players, beat Hoffenheim 3-2. Heindeheim and Wolfsburg tied 1-1.
Stuttgart was a surprise contender in the first half of the season and went into the winter break in third place, but began 2024 with two defeats after losing 1-0 to Bochum.
Later, leader Bayer Leverkusen visits Leipzig looking to maintain their undefeated record.
Saturday’s matches were interrupted by a fan protest against plans to sell a stake in the sale of future television and marketing rights to investors in exchange for an upfront payment.
Source: AP
