Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 4, FC Schalke 04 0.
B DortmundBorussia Dortmund4SchalkeFC Schalke 040
Erling Braut Haaland scored for Borussia Dortmund as they marked the return of the Bundesliga during the coronavirus outbreak with a convincing derby win over Schalke.
The game will mostly be remembered for the surreal circumstances in which it was played, as Germany became the first major league in Europe to resume action behind closed doors.
There was an eerie atmosphere at Dortmund's iconic Signal Iduna Park stadium, with every shout by players or coaches audible, and social distancing protocol followed by substitutes and during goal celebrations.
Haaland opened the scoring with a trademark cool finish, flicking home Thorgen Hazard's cross to continue his sensational season, albeit after an enforced break of almost 10 weeks.
Raphael Guerreiro added two more goals and Hazard also found the net as Dortmund went on to claim a comfortable win over their near neighbours and move within a point of leaders Bayern Munich, who play on Sunday.
A strange feeling as football resumes
Elite-level football might be back in Europe, but it certainly has a different feel about it than it did two months ago.
Strict hygiene protocols saw the Dortmund and Schalke players arrive on multiple buses, use several changing rooms and then enter the pitch by different routes.
Warm-ups were staggered and the coaching staff and substitutes wore masks and were all separated by two metres as they took their place on the sidelines.
Once the balls had been disinfected by the ball-boys, the game began in total silence, only pierced by the referee's whistle for kick-off, before being played out to the sound of echoed applause or yelled instructions from the dug-outs.
Fans were completely absent from the 80,000-capacity stadium but that did not stop the Dortmund players performing their trademark salute to the empty stands at the final whistle - standing apart rather than holding hands of course.
Haaland reminds Europe of his talent
The backdrop to the game made for a strange spectacle, but it did nothing to disrupt Haaland's fine form even if it was 70 days on from his last Bundesliga appearance.
With the rest of Europe watching on, Dortmund's 19-year-old Norwegian wonderkid reminded everyone of his precocious talent as he scored one goal, and helped make another.
Haaland now has hit 10 goals in his first nine Bundesliga appearances - and 13 in 12 games in all competitions - since his January move from Red Bull Salzburg and his prolific scoring rate shows no sign of slowing up.
Another of Dortmund's highly-rated young talents, England forward Jadon Sancho, was restricted to an 11-minute cameo off the bench, because of a calf injury.
On-loan Everton full-back Jonjoe Kenny started for Schalke, who brought on Wales winger Rabbi Matondo as one of their five substitutes - two more than usual are permitted under the new regulations for the Bundesliga's restart.
Line-ups
B Dortmund
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Bürki
- 26PiszczekBooked at 73mins
- 15Hummels
- 16Akanji
- 5Hakimi
- 6DelaneyBooked at 53minsSubstituted forBalerdiat 68'minutes
- 8DahoudSubstituted forGötzeat 87'minutes
- 13GuerreiroSubstituted forSchmelzerat 87'minutes
- 23T HazardSubstituted forSanchoat 79'minutes
- 19Brandt
- 17Haaland
Substitutes
- 7Sancho
- 10Götze
- 18Balerdi
- 22Morey
- 29Schmelzer
- 32Reyna
- 33Führich
- 35Hitz
- 37Raschl
Schalke
Formation 3-4-3
- 23Schubert
- 21TodiboSubstituted forBurgstallerat 45'minutes
- 26SanéBooked at 48mins
- 5Nastasic
- 20KennySubstituted forBeckerat 87'minutes
- 2McKennie
- 8SerdarSubstituted forSchöpfat 74'minutes
- 24Oczipka
- 18CaligiuriSubstituted forMirandaat 76'minutes
- 9RamanSubstituted forMatondoat 45'minutesBooked at 86mins
- 25Harit
Substitutes
- 3Miranda
- 11Gregoritsch
- 14Matondo
- 15Kutucu
- 19Burgstaller
- 28Schöpf
- 31Becker
- 35Nübel
- 37Mercan
- Referee:
- Deniz Aytekin
Match Stats
Home TeamB DortmundAway TeamSchalke
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home4
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 4, FC Schalke 04 0.
Post update
Corner, FC Schalke 04. Conceded by Julian Brandt.
Post update
Foul by Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund).
Post update
Alessandro Schöpf (FC Schalke 04) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rabbi Matondo (FC Schalke 04) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Bastian Oczipka.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Marcel Schmelzer replaces Raphael Guerreiro.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Mario Götze replaces Mahmoud Dahoud.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Schalke 04. Timo Becker replaces Jonjoe Kenny.
Booking
Rabbi Matondo (FC Schalke 04) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Rabbi Matondo (FC Schalke 04).
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Jadon Sancho replaces Thorgan Hazard because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Schalke 04. Juan Miranda replaces Daniel Caligiuri.
Post update
Attempt missed. Salif Sané (FC Schalke 04) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Bastian Oczipka with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, FC Schalke 04. Conceded by Lukasz Piszczek.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Schalke 04. Alessandro Schöpf replaces Suat Serdar.
Booking
Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Post update
Hand ball by Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund).
Post update
Attempt missed. Guido Burgstaller (FC Schalke 04) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.
Comments
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They quoted if you supported Man Utd you are likely to choose Bayern Munich on the grounds of: GLORYHUNTING!!!
Even the BBC are now trolling Utd.. You couldn't make it up 😂
Given the amount of money the premier league has invested into testing and disinfecting, keeping squads in private accommodation so they don't mix with their families. It's probably 1 of the safest businesses to return.
How can you socially distance when tackling?"
You don't need to socially distance if you don't have the virus! That's why the spent so much money on testing.........
"Personally, I think there are significantly more pressing matters to deal with, rather than a resumption of professional sports"
Possibly so, yet when considering mental health is one of the key concerns, a bit of sport may well be of great help to some people & even just a little help is good, yes?
The game was good, bet it could have been 5-4 and you lot would have called it terrible. Your agenda is so obvious it's pathetic.
Stupid for football to go back before all the other people return to work.
It’s about time they realise they are the same as everyone else and should stick to the same rules.
Selfish idiots !
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If everyone else went back to work then they would be the same as everyone else, wouldn't they ?
"Towards the end of the game you could see lots of players struggling for breath and coughing. It's a public health disaster".
They haven't played football for almost 3 months and had a very short period of training.
I initially thought your comment was a joke but your ignorance is incredible.
If you watched the highlights of the other games they quite clearly are allowed to celebrate together. Dortmund just chose to do 'social distancing' celebrations I guess because they thought it was funny.
Now we just wait for the rise in Civid-19 cases in Germany....!!!
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Typical Negative manc Voider Response....!!!
Sprechen Sie Deutsch Voiders?
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I think this lockdown is not doing your mental health any good. Please call someone for help.
People only gather outside the grounds when the pubs are open. If everythings shut people would rather watch the games at home on TV than be outside and not be able to watch them at all.
Neutral venues are unnecessary, especially if clubs communicate with their fans and tell them to stay away.