Bundesliga: Sebastien Haller scores first Borussia Dortmund goal since returning from cancer battle
- Planet Sport writer
- 4 February 2023
Sebastien Haller scored on World Cancer Day just two weeks after making his return from a six-month battle against the disease as Borussia Dortmund thrashed 10-man Freiburg 5-1 on Saturday.
Haller, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer last summer, got Dortmund's third goal in a win that saw them move level on points with Bayern Munich, who travel to Wolfsburg on Sunday.
The former West Ham striker, 28, signed for Dortmund from Ajax last July but complained of feeling unwell during pre-season and tests discovered a malignant tumour.
After two surgeries and chemotherapy, Haller was given the all-clear to return to training last month and made his competitive debut as a substitute in the 4-3 win over Augsburg on January 22.
Saturday was his second start for Dortmund and a day he will surely not forget as they punished a Freiburg side who had Kiliann Sildiallia sent off just 17 minutes in for two quick bookings.
Nico Schlotterbeck got the opener in the 26th minute and although Lucas Holer levelled on the stroke of half-time, it was one-way traffic in the second half.
Karim Adeyemi turned in Jude Bellingham's corner to make it 2-1 early in the second half, and moments later Haller headed in Raphael Guerreiro's cross.
That was the first of three assists for Guerreiro, who set up Julian Brandt and substitute Gio Reyna.
Union Berlin went top of the table until Sunday at least with a 2-1 win over Mainz.
Kevin Behrens fired Union in front before half-time, but they needed Jordan Siebatcheu to score an 84th minute winner after Marcus Ingvartsen had levelled from the penalty spot.
RB Leipzig were held to a goalless draw by Cologne, leaving them one point behind Dortmund in fourth place and only a point ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt, who cruised to a 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin.
Bochum moved three points clear of the bottom three with a 5-2 win over fellow strugglers Hoffenheim while it finished goalless between Borussia Monchengladbach and relegation-battling Schalke.
