Donyell Malen delivered his best display of the season as Borussia Dortmund overcame Freiburg 3-0 in the Bundesliga weekend’s opening game on Friday night. The Dutch forward scored twice in the first half to put Edin Terzic’s team on course to a dominant win at their Westfalenstadion. Niclas Fullkrug had a hand in both goals, but young Englishman Jamie Bynoe-Gittens made the difference as the team from the Black Forest simply couldn’t close him down. In the end, Fullkrug capped his great night with a late goal
The breakthrough came in the 16th minute when Donyell Malen capitalized on a loose ball in the Freiburg half. Fuelled by relentless pressure, Malen received a precise pass from Fullkrug and unleashed a powerful strike into the top right corner, giving Dortmund a well-deserved lead.
Freiburg responded with resilience, maintaining their defensive shape and thwarting Dortmund’s attacking forays. The visitors grew into the game, seeking opportunities on the counter-attack and testing the Yellow Blacks’ resolve. Freiburg’s persistence nearly paid off as they levelled the score, with Ryerson heading away Kubler’s cross only for Makengo to fire the rebound wide.The game between Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg had to be temporarily stopped after fans launched tennis balls onto the pitch 🎾The fans did this in protest against a new investment deal in the Bundesliga. pic.twitter.com/MehiGF0qyb— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 9, 2024 Malen doubled the lead late in first-half added time and that goal proved a sucker punch for Christian Streich’s team, which looked thoroughly overrun from that moment on.The match was marked by a big fan protest from both sets of fans as a reaction to Bundesliga’s changes which would allow private owners to take full control of clubs.
Fullkrug sealed the win late on to put the visitors out of their misery and consolidate Dortmund’s fourth position in the standings.BUNDESLIGA – MATCHDAY 21FridayBorussia Dortmund – Freiburg 3-0 (2-0)/Malen 16, 45+7, Fullgrug 87/Saturday17:30: (1.82) Werder (3.60) Heidenheim (4.40)17:30: (1.60) M’ gladbach (3.90) Darmstadt (5.80)17:30: (4.30) Augsburg (4.00) RB Leipzig (1.80)17:30: (1.80) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.60) Bochum (4.60)17:30: (2.30) Union Berlin (3.40) Wolfsburg (3.35)20:30: (2.80) Leverkusen (3.60) Bayern (2.60)Sunday17:30: (1.45) Stuttgart (4.40) Mainz (7.25)19:30: (1.90) Hoffenheim (3.70) Koln (4.40)***odds are subject to change***