Bundesliga roundup: Erling Haaland double sinks RB Leipzig, Schalke 04 win first game of the season

Bayer Leverkusen failed to put an end to their poor run with a draw against Werder Bremen even as golden boy Erling Haaland grabbed a brace in Dortmund win and Schalke 04 snatch first win of the season.

Werder Bremen grab a point away at Leverkusen

Following Bayern Munich’s loss on Friday, Bauer Leverkusen could have closed the gap to the German giant with a win against Werder Bremen. The hosts, however, failed to find a way to win the game.

It was Werder Bremen who took the lead in the 52nd minute after a goalless first half. The goal sparked the game into life and Bayer Leverkusen responded through Patrik Schick in the 70th minute.

Disappointing result, but the Werkself will remain in 3rd after MD 15 with 29 points.

We’ve got a big week coming up next:
? #B04SGE (Pokal) ? #FCUB04 (BL MD 16) pic.twitter.com/Nul0t02hU5

- Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 9, 2021

The 1-1 draw sees the remain four points behind Bayern Munich in first and two points behind RB Leipzig.

Schalke 04 wins first game of the season

Schalke 04 has endured a season to forget this term and the club went into the match against Hoffenheim as the only Bundesliga team without a win in the 2020/2021 season.

The match seemed destined for a lackluster draw until Matthew Hoppe raised the hope of Schalke faithfuls with a 42nd-minute strike. Hoppe was not done as he grabbed his brace in the 57th minute.

See also: Borussia Moenchengladbach shock Bayern Munich in impressive comeback

He completed his hattrick against Hoffenheim in the 63rd minute thanks to a pass from Amine Harit (who had also assisted his two other goals).

19-year-old Matthew Hoppe is the first American to score a Bundesliga hat-trick ?? pic.twitter.com/E1XbROoj9G

- B/R Football (@brfootball) January 9, 2021

Harit himself got on the score sheet putting Schalke 04 four goals up. This lifted the team out of 18th into the 17th position. Yet, with a goal difference of -27, 10 losses and 7 points out of a possible 45; Schalke 04 will just have to get better to avoid relegation.

Erling Haaland dazzles for Dortmund

RB Leipzig looked to take advantage of Bayern Munich’s Friday loss to go top of Bundesliga as they faced a rather inconsistent Borussia Dortmund side. Dortmund, however, had other plans.

Both teams had struggled to find the net in the first half of the match but to no avail. Ten minutes into the second half, Marco Reus set up Jadon Sancho who found the back of the net to put Dortmund in the lead.

In the 71st minute, Erling Haaland got his team comfortable with a finish from a Jadon Sancho cross. He had started the attack with some excellent dribbling before heading home at the far post over a hapless Leipzig defender.

Haaland got his brace in the 84th minute when he received a pass from Marco Reus, rounded the goalkeeper and shot into an empty net. Leipzig found a consolation goal in the 90th minute when substitute Alexander Soerloth put the ball beyond the gloves of Roman Bureki.

That’s how it’s done. pic.twitter.com/O4yggsWXJK

- Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) January 9, 2021

Borussia Dortmund moves into fourth place closing the gap at the top to make it five points between the first and fourth-placed teams in Bundesliga.

Other results include:

Freiburg 5-0 1. FC Koln

Mainz 05 0-2 Eintracht Frankfurt

Union Berlin 2-2 Wolfsburg