Image credit: Getty Images
Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland scored a brace each to help Dortmund to their fifth DFB-Pokal title and their first since 2017 courtesy of a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, whose wait for a first major trophy goes on.
Having netted twice in Saturday’s dress rehearsal – a league match which Dortmund won 3-2 – Sancho picked up where he left off, breaking the deadlock with a fantastic solo effort, cutting in off the left and curling a precise right-footed shot into the top corner with just five minutes played.
Dortmund had to absorb a lot of pressure but were devastating on the counter and Haaland – who had been carrying a knock prior to the game – doubled their advantage in the 28th-minute. After knocking over Dayot Upamecano with sheer brute strength, the Norwegian kept his composure to slide the ball past Peter Gulacsi.
And on the stroke of half-time, Sancho put the game beyond RB Leipzig after another slick attacking move on the break. Haaland held off Upamecano as Mahmoud Dahoud released Marco Reus, who unselfishly rolled it to the Englishman and he danced past Marcel Halstenburg before slotting into an empty net.
Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann made two changes at the interval and it almost paid dividends immediately when Christopher Nkunku struck the woodwork with his first touches. And just moments after Emil Forsberg rattled the post for Leipzig, Nagelsmann’s side got one back through Dani Olmo’s beautiful left-footed shot after being teed up by Nkunku.
But Dortmund would have the final say with Haaland putting the gloss on a fine performance with his side’s fourth of the evening and his 38th of the season, firing in from the edge of the box after another menacing run and pass from the excellent Sancho.