Haaland, Meunier doubles help Dortmund crush Freiburg

Erling Haaland snapped a two-game goal drought to score twice while fullback Thomas Meunier added two more as their side hammered visiting Freiburg 5-1 on Friday to move within striking distance of leaders Bayern Munich.

Fullback Meunier powered home a header at the near post from a Julian Brandt corner after 14 minutes and doubled the lead in the 29th, nodding in another Brandt corner. He had only scored once before in the Bundesliga since joining in 2020.

Haaland then got in on the action, quickly peeling away from teammate Jude Bellingham to race into the box, latch onto a perfectly timed through ball from the England international and tap in Dortmund’s third goal on the stroke of halftime.

The Norwegian bagged his second in the 75th - his 55th goal in 56 Bundesliga matches - after Ermedin Demirovic had pulled a goal back for the visitors just past the hour.

Haaland has now scored 78 goals in 77 matches in all competitions for the Ruhr valley club.

Dortmund have 40 points in second place, three behind Bayern who visit Cologne on Saturday. Freiburg stay fourth on 30.

ARR