BERLIN, May 14: Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho both scored twice as Borussia Dortmund withstood a second-half fightback in teeming rain to beat Leipzig 4-1 in the German Cup final.
Captain Marco Reus was involved in all four goals on Thursday as Dortmund won the cup for the fifth time and denied bitter rival Leipzig a first title.
Haaland was back after almost three weeks out with a muscle injury, but it was Sancho who fired Dortmund into a fifth-minute lead with a strike inside the far post after Reus won the ball from Kevin Kampl in midfield.
Haaland barrelled past Dayot Upamecano for Dortmund’s second goal in the 28th, and Reus and Sancho combined to make it 3-0 before the break.
Leipzig emerged with intent for the second half, striking the crossbar and twice testing Roman Bürki in the Dortmund goal.
Sancho missed a good chance in a one-on-one with Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, before Haaland finally sealed Dortmund’s win in the 87th.
Dortmund previously won the title in 1965, 1989, 2012 and 2017. Leipzig, which was formed in 2009, was going for its first, but was unable to deal with Dortmund’s committed first-half performance. Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann had been hoping to sign off with a trophy before he leaves for Bayern Munich next season. (AP)
