Bruges (Belgium) (AFP) – Erling Braut Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 3-0 Champions League group stage win over Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Norwegian striker Haaland took his Champions League season tally to four goals as Belgian internationals Thorgan Hazard, Axel Witsel and Thomas Meunier helped him blast away Brugge in a dominant first half display from Dortmund.
The win brings Dortmund back on course to qualify from Group F after suffering an early setback with a 3-1 defeat to Lazio in the opening game.
The Bundesliga side now lead the group ahead of Lazio, who were held to a 1-1 draw away to Zenit St Petersburg earlier on Wednesday.
Dortmund took their chances clinically in the first half, and were 3-0 up after just half an hour, with a Belgian player involved in all three goals.
A surprise pick ahead of England’s Jadon Sancho in the starting line-up, Hazard opened the scoring on 14 minutes, sweeping in a curling cross from Thomas Delaney at the far post.
A few minutes later, Witsel rose highest at a corner to head the ball into the path of Haaland, who doubled the lead from close range.
Meunier then set up Haaland for Dortmund’s third on 32 minutes, squaring the ball to the Norwegian after Mahmoud Dahoud had carved open the Brugge defence with a scintillating chipped pass.
Brugge battled on despite the scoreline, and had several chances to snatch a goal back before half-time.
Emmanuel Dennis forced a sharp save from Dortmund keeper Roman Buerki, while Eduard Sobol shaved the post with a long-range shot on 36 minutes.
Yet it was Dortmund’s night, and Lucien Favre’s side saw out the second half comfortably to leapfrog both Brugge and Lazio into top spot.
With their Champions League campaign back on course, Dortmund now turn their attention to domestic football with a crucial clash against top-of-the-table rivals Bayern Munich on Saturday.
