MAINZ, Germany: Record-breaking Borussia Dortmund outclassed 10-man Mainz 05 2-0 on Saturday, with goals from Daniel Svensson and Karim Adeyemi, to secure a fourth straight league win that stretched their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga.
Dortmund, who host Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Wednesday, were without top striker Serhou Guirassy, who was injured during the warm-up.
They have now gone 13 league matches without defeat, going back to last season, and have not conceded a league goal since the first matchday on August 23. Dortmund were in the lead at halftime for the 10th Bundesliga match in a row, setting a league record.
Niko Kovac’s team are on 13 points in second place, two behind champions Bayern Munich, who were 4-0 winners over Werder Bremen on Friday.
“It happened exactly the way we had wanted it to,” Kovac told a press conference. “The team played in a very disciplined and organized way. We scored at the right times and today I saw the team play out an away game as we should.”
“We are only looking at us. I know that football in Germany has expectations that Bayern do not march away on their own this season. But we have to keep things in perspective. It is the fifth matchday and still early in the season. But we are doing it well so far.”
The visitors dominated from the start and went ahead in the 27th minute when Svensson at the far post tapped in a Julian Brandt cutback. The goal came seconds after the hosts had hit the woodwork through Paul Nebel.
Germany international Brandt then delivered another assist after Adeyemi sprinted clear and finished the job in the 44th.
Mainz were left with 10 players when keeper Robin Zentner was sent off after bringing down Adeyemi outside the box but by that time the game had long been decided with Dortmund in complete control.
Brandt nearly scored himself but his stoppage-time effort was spectacularly palmed over the bar by substitute keeper Lasse Riess.
Dortmund earn fourth straight league win with 2-0 win at 10-man Mainz
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Dortmund earn fourth straight league win with 2-0 win at 10-man Mainz
- Dortmund were without top striker Serhou Guirassy, who was injured during the warm-up
- Niko Kovac’s team are on 13 points in second place, two behind champions Bayern Munich
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
