Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Bundesliga’s top scorer, on Friday claimed his 23rd goal in as many league games as Borussia Dortmund labored to a 1-0 home win over strugglers Ingolstadt 04.
Aubameyang’s first-half winner was his 30th goal in all competitions for Dortmund this season.
Borussia remain third in the table, narrowing the gap behind RB Leipzig to three points, but 13 adrift of runaway leaders Bayern Munich.
Photo: AP
Borussia, who have drawn AS Monaco in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, were missing a host of stars, but there was no disguising a poor display.
Ingolstadt, who enjoyed 14 shots on goal to Dortmund’s 10, are second from bottom and seven points from safety, but matched Dortmund and should have been awarded a second-half penalty.
“I was already getting ready to save the penalty,” Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki said after the referee missed his foul on Dario Lezcano on 52 minutes. “I was glad Auba got his goal, because without it, things would have been even harder for us, but the most important thing was the three points.”
Burki had a busy night and admitted Dortmund were tired from their rescheduled DFB Pokal win at minnows Sportfreunde Lotte on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals.
With Germany winger Marco Reus injured and 19-year-old Ousmane Dembele suspended, Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel rotated his squad.
US teenage international Christian Pulisic, 18, and Japan’s Shinji Kagawa filled the attacking midfield roles behind Aubayemang.
The Gabon star needed just 14 minutes to add to his goals tally and remain two clear of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski in the race to be the top scorer this season.
Kagawa started the move in midfield and fed Marcel Schmelzer, who provided the cross from the left which Aubameyang rifled home.
However, Dortmund lived dangerously in the second half and were far from convincing, as Ingolstadt grew in confidence with Australia forward Mathew Leckie leading the attack.
Only Burki’s close-range save denied Leckie.
With 30 minutes to go, Tuchel lost patience with the ineffective Raphael Guerreiro, who won just three of his 10 challenges, and replaced him with Germany’s Julian Weigl in the defensive midfield.
Leckie could have again rescued a point just before the final whistle, but he skied a chance over the bar.
LA LIGA
AP, CANARY ISLANDS, Spain
Kevin-Prince Boateng on Friday scored and forced the sending off of a Villarreal player to help UD Las Palmas win 1-0 at home in La Liga.
Boateng’s header from a well-placed cross by Dani Castellano in the 10th minute was his eighth goal since joining Las Palmas this season.
The former AC Milan standout contributed to Villarreal being reduced to 10 men in the 19th, when he intercepted Mateo Musacchio’s back pass.
Victor Ruiz earned a direct red card for quickly fouling Boateng with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Boateng, who turned 30 last week, went close to adding another goal on back-to-back occasions early in the second half.
The win was Las Palmas’ first in five rounds as they moved into 11th place.
“This is good for morale,” Las Palmas midfielder Roque Mesa said.
Villarreal’s first loss away from home in the league since Nov. 20 last year ended a three-game winning run. They remained in fifth place, losing a chance to close on the top-four spots that earn UEFA Champions league berths.
“It was important for us to win today so we could pressure the teams at the top,” Villarreal’s Bruno Soriano said.
LIGUE 1
AP, PARIS
Lille OSC and Olympique de Marseille on Friday played out a lackluster goalless draw in Ligue 1.
The result left Marseille fifth in the standings, 22 points off leaders AS Monaco’s pace, with Lille lagging 34 points behind.
The hosts had the match’s best chance with six minutes left, but forward Eder’s header was parried away off the crossbar by goalkeeper Yohann Pele.
The game marked Marseille coach Rudi Garcia’s return to his former club.
Lille was coached by Franck Passi, the man Garcia replaced at Marseille after US billionaire Frank McCourt’s takeover.
Garcia spent five years as Lille coach, leading the club to a league and cup double in 2011. He went on to coach AS Roma in Serie A.
Elsewhere, Metz defeated SC Bastia 1-0 to end a five-match winless run to move seven points clear of the relegation zone.
The hosts had the best chances and forced Bastia goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca to a couple of good saves before Gilles Cioni scored an own-goal in the 47th minute, when Lindsay Rose’s clearance hit the defender and went in.
It was Cioni’s maiden goal in the topflight league.
Bastia had only three shots during the whole game, and none of them were on target. The Corsican side remain in the danger zone, three points above last-placed Lorient.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely