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Haaland scores 2 as Dortmund survives Union Berlin fightback

Dortmund's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin at the Signal Iduna Park Stadium, in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (Bernd Thissen/DPA via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — Erling Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund emerged with a hard-fought 4-2 win over Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Norwegian grabbed Dortmund’s second goal in the 24th minute and secured the result in the 83rd just after Union scored for what looked like a nervy finale.

The visitors made a good start in Dortmund, where Taiwo Awoniyi had a first-minute goal ruled out for offside.

There was nothing Union could do about Raphaël Guerreiro’s opening goal in the 10th, when the Portugal defender let fly with a spectacular volley over goalkeeper Andreas Luthe and inside the far corner.

Thomas Meunier set up Dortmund’s second as Haaland beat two Union defenders to reach the Belgian’s cross. It got worse for Union early in the second half with an own-goal from captain Marvin Friedrich, who was trying to cut out Marco Reus’ cross in the 52nd.

Max Kruse pulled one back with a penalty in the 58th and Andreas Voglsammer rewarded Union’s efforts with a header from a corner in the 81st.

However, Haaland sealed the win two minutes later, stretching to lift the ball beyond Luthe and inside the far post.

It was Haaland’s 11th goal from seven games across all competitions for Dortmund this season.

WIRTZ SHINES FOR LEVERKUSEN

Florian Wirtz led 10-man Bayer Leverkusen to a 3-1 win at Stuttgart, dealing American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team its third loss in five Bundesliga games this season.

The 18-year-old Wirtz set up Leverkusen’s second goal in the 19th minute and scored the third to give the visitors their third win of the season.

Robert Andrich was the central figure for Leverkusen in the first half – for mixed reasons. Andrich scored the opening goal in the second minute, but was sent off with the team leading 2-0 in the 30th for a studs-up lunge at Tanguy Coulibaly’s knee.

Orel Mangala scored for Stuttgart in the 38th, finishing off the rebound after Lukáš Hrádecký brilliantly saved Konstantinos Mavropanos’ header from a free kick.

Wirtz ended Stuttgart’s hopes of an equalizer when he surged forward and fired inside the far corner in the 70th.

WOLFSBURG HELD AT HOME

Eintracht Frankfurt ended Wolfsburg’s perfect start to the league in a 1-1 draw but will be disappointed not to have claimed its first win.

Dutch striker Sam Lammers’ first Bundesliga goal in the 38th minute wasn’t enough for Frankfurt as Wout Weghorst equalized in the 70th.

Weghorst shrugged off teammates’ attempts to celebrate as he ran back to restart the game, but the home team was unable to find a winner for the first time this season.

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