Reyna scores winner for Dortmund as Haller returns

Sun, Jan 22, 2023
Soccer News (AP)

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) - Gio Reyna scored the winning goal in his first game since the World Cup as Borussia Dortmund beat Augsburg 4-3 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, a game that also saw Reyna's teammate Sebastien Haller return after treatment for testicular cancer.

American midfielder Reyna came on in the 70th minute for Dortmund in his first competitive match since the World Cup, where he was limited to a pair of substitute appearances.

The lack of playing time led Reyna's parents, former American players Claudio Reyna and Danielle Egan, to contact the U.S. Soccer Federation about a 1991 domestic-violence incident involving coach Gregg Berhalter. The USSF has appointed an interim coach while a law firm investigates Berhalter.

Eight minutes after coming on, Augsburg left Reyna in space to the right of the penalty area allowing him to control the ball before flicking it up and over goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz. He could have scored a second five minutes later but failed in an audacious bid to round Gikiewicz, which would have left him with an empty net to aim at.

Frail in defense all season, Dortmund was bailed out by its substitutes. First-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Nico Schlotterbeck were answered by Augsburg's Arne Maier and Ermedin Demirovic to leave the game at 2-2 at half-time. English youngster Jamie Bynoe-Gittens hit a curling shot from distance to restore Dortmund's lead in the 75th, but David Colina leveled the score again for Augsburg, only for Reyna to score his team's fourth.

Greeted by a roar from the famous "Yellow Wall" of fans, Haller made his return after cancer treatment as a 62nd-minute substitute following two operations and chemotherapy.

Six months ago, Haller received a diagnosis during pre-season training that turned his life upside down and put in doubt his playing career. The long-delayed debut - Haller was diagnosed less than a month after signing from Ajax - brought a standing ovation from the crowd of more than 81,000.

Haller couldn't mark his debut with a goal, let alone the hat trick he scored in a friendly last week, but he did not look at all out of place as a replacement for 18-year-old emerging star Youssoufa Moukoko, who signed a new contract on Saturday.

Borussia Monchengladbach played Bayer Leverkusen later Sunday.

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