Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus in action with 1. FC Union Berlin’s Levin Oztunali at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Berlin February 13, 2022. — Reuters pic
BERLIN, Feb 14 — Marco Reus defied the boos of the home crowd with two goals against Union Berlin on Sunday, as Borussia Dortmund cruised to a 3-0 win to narrow the gap at the top of the Bundesliga to six points.
Reus, who won a controversial penalty when the two teams met last season, was given a hostile welcome in the capital.
He silenced the home end with two first-half goals as Dortmund bounced back from last week’s loss to Leverkusen to claim their first ever away win at Union.
“Last week was really bad and we wanted to show a reaction today. It’s difficult to come here because Union are a really good team,” Reus told DAZN.
Yet he batted away questions about the title race.
“We don’t need to keep answering those questions, so please stop asking it,” he said.
After leaders Bayern slumped to a shock loss at minnows Bochum on Saturday, the clash in the capital was a must-win for second-placed Dortmund.
Dortmund made a nervy start, but took the lead on 18 minutes, Reus drilling a low shot home from close range amid a flurry of legs in the box.
Reus doubled the lead on the counter-attack shortly afterwards after Dan-Axel Zagadou caught the Union defence napping apart with a devastating diagonal ball upfield.
Union’s valiant second-half resistance was ended on 71 minutes when Raphael Guerreiro toe-poked in a third goal from close range.
Tempers flared in the final 15 minutes as the home side had a goal ruled out by VAR for a foul on Manuel Akanji.
Dortmund host reigning Scottish champions Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday. — AFP