Cologne 0-4 Dortmund: Malen's double leads Dortmund to comfortable victory over hosts

Donyell Malen scored twice as Borussia Dortmund defeated hosts Cologne 4-0 on Saturday, making it two Bundesliga victories in a row this season and closing in on third place.

The visitors were stronger from the start, and Dutch international Malen put them ahead in the 12th minute by drilling in from Julian Brandt's corner.

The game was briefly interrupted after fans threw chocolate coins onto the pitch in protest of the planned sale of a stake in the Bundesliga's media rights firm to an investor.

While Dortmund gradually eased off the gas, Cologne almost equalised immediately after the restart, with Jan Thielmann's point-blank shot palmed wide by keeper Gregor Kobel.

Cologne's Linton Maina then hit the crossbar with a spectacular effort in the 50th minute, before Dortmund scored against the run of play when Jadon Sancho was brought down in the box.

Niclas Fuellkrug stepped up and converted the penalty kick in the 58th minute to double their lead, and Malen scored his second goal three minutes later after latching onto a sensational Ian Maatsen pass.

Substitute Youssoufa Moukoko scored a fourth in stoppage time.

Dortmund are in fifth place with 33 points, the same number as fourth-placed RB Leipzig, who face league leaders Bayer Leverkusen later on Saturday. They are now only one point behind VfB Stuttgart in third place after they suffered a 1-0 defeat at VfL Bochum.

SportsLigue