Dortmund beats Union Berlin in Bundesliga to ease pressure on coach

Sat, Mar 2, 2024
Soccer News (AP)

BERLIN (AP) - Germany forward Karim Adeyemi's first Bundesliga goal of the season helped Borussia Dortmund beat Union Berlin 2-0 and ease some of the pressure on coach Edin Terzic on Saturday.

Adeyemi's brilliant 41st-minute strike and a last-minute goal from Ian Maatsen kept Dortmund in fourth place, one point ahead of Leipzig, which came from behind to beat Bochum 4-1 away. Only the top four are sure of Champions League qualification. Ten rounds remain after this weekend.

Terzic is under pressure because of Dortmund's inconsistent results. Dortmund lost at home to Hoffenheim last weekend and won only one of its last five games across all competitions before its trip to Kopenick.

Terzic dropped Marco Reus in favor of Adeyemi, with Donyell Malen suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards.

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Adeyemi scored with a fine strike in off the underside of the crossbar. Maatsen won the ball off Josip Juranovic to seal the win with his first goal for Dortmund.

It ended Union's four-game unbeaten run.

Also, Eintracht Frankfurt won at promoted Heidenheim 2-1, Borussia Monchengladbach drew at relegation-threatened Mainz 1-1, and Augsburg enjoyed a 6-0 rout of Darmstadt.

Augsburg capitalized on the home team's dismal defense to race to 4-0 by the 25th minute. Ermedin Demirovic got the fifth two minutes later, his second of the game. Phillip Tietz grabbed his second against his former club in the second half.

Stuttgart was playing at Wolfsburg late.

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CIARAN FAHEY Fahey is a Berlin-based reporter for The Associated Press, covering sports in Germany and beyond. "