Borussia Dortmund clobbered bottom-dwelling Paderborn 6-1 on Sunday, piling on the goals late at Benteler Arena.
Jadon Sancho scored three goals in his return to the Starting XI, celebrating the first by removing his jersey to reveal a “Justice For George Floyd” message on his undershirt.
Dortmund stays seven points back of Bayern Munich with five matches to play and moves four points clear of both Gladbach and Bayer Leverkusen. RB Leipzig is five points back of second and plays Monday versus Koln.
Paderborn’s three-match unbeaten run is done, the last-place side eight points back of the relegation playoff spot and nine back of automatic safety. Uwe Hunemeier scored from the spot for the hosts.
[ Bundesliga: Gladbach wins | Saturday roundup | Bayern blowout ]
Thorgan Hazard had a goal and an assist, as did Marcel Schmelzer. Achraf Hakimi also scored, with Mateu Morey and Axel Witsel picking up assists.
Sancho now has 17 goals and 17 assists in 27 Bundesliga appearances this season.
Jadon Sancho put the cherry on top with his first career hat trick 🎩✨ pic.twitter.com/DFLHaSUbzg
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 31, 2020
Dortmund controlled possession but Paderborn manufactured some minor chances early before the visitors came close.
That’s when Julian Brandt set up Raphael Guerreiro for a shot across goal that bounded wide of the frame.
Brandt had a chance to curl a shot on goal just before half, but sliced the effort.
The breakthrough came just under nine minutes after half when Paderborn goalkeeper Leopold Zingerle couldn’t hold Emre Can’s hard cross and Hazard was in the catbird seat to slot home.
Sancho then scored his first from close range before a controversial penalty awarded for a sliding block by Emre Can allowed Hunemeier to convert from the spot. That made it 2-1 in the 72nd minute.
The English winger bagged his second goal with a powerful striker Zingerle could only turn inside his near post in the 74th minute, and BVB scored three more times from the 85th minute.
American teen Giovanni Reyna came off the bench and had a goal ruled out in his 10-minute cameo. He had nine touches, completed all five of his passes, and registered a shot. Reyna both of his duels, drew one foul, and made a clearance (Stats by Sofascore).
Jadon Sancho AGAIN 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ELg9VpqLtB
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 31, 2020