Borussia Dortmund earned their first Bundesliga win in five games with a 2-1 victory at bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring both their goals.
Dortmund welcomed back Germany centerback Mats Hummels after two months out with an ankle injury.
The 25-year-old rescued Dortmund with a challenge on substitute Karim Bellarabi in the dying stages as Dortmund stayed third, 14 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
Photo: AFP
The night belonged to Aubameyang, who, along with Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, finished the match with 11 league goals for the season — the same tally as the entire Braunschweig team.
“That was a very difficult game for us, so we’re very happy about the win,” Aubameyang said.
The Gabon right-winger headed home a Lewandowski cross in the first half, then fired home the winner from Marco Reus’ pass 25 minutes from the final whistle.
His pin-point winner saved Dortmund’s blushes after hosts Braunschweig had equalized when defender Benjamin Kessel tapped home on 54 minutes, despite a posse of Borussia defenders.
“We’re very happy, even if it was a dirty win,” Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller said. “We know that it wasn’t a good game, but we can build on the victory.”
In a frantic final 10 minutes, Borussia’s Lewandowski, Reus, Aubameyang and midfielder Nuri Sahin all had chances to add a third.
Braunschweig’s attacking midfielder Bellarabi also had a late shot saved, while centerback Ermin Bicakcic’s header rebounded off the inside of the post.
Dortmund’s attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan also hit the post two minutes from time.
It was Dortmund’s first win since Nov. 30.
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