Karim Adeyemi is peaking for Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga title bid.
On Sunday, Dortmund beat Wolfsburg 6-0 with two goals from the 21-year-old Germany attacker.
It closed the difference to one point with three rounds left.
Adeyemi left to a standing ovation from the home fans but was clearly frustrated after missing a penalty and a hat trick minutes earlier.
“The team comes first. “It was very important that we won, but I was very annoyed with myself that I didn’t score the three goals,” he remarked after his strongest Dortmund performance since signing from Salzburg last year.
Adeyemi soared above a bigger opponent to score the first goal and set up Sébastien Haller for the second. Adeyemi scored fifth after the Ivory Coast forward returned the favor.
When Adeyemi left in the 69th, Wolfsburg’s defenders had no reprieve from his speed. After Gio Reyna, Jude Bellingham scored his second goal. Dortmund played well, but Adeyemi shone out.
“I don’t know if he had 100 actions or 50, but 49 or 99 of these actions were positive,” coach Edin Terzić remarked. “Maybe he wanted it too much to win. Penalty was the easiest chance. The goal and his acceleration in one-on-one were great. Is that hard to defend? We want that.”
Terzić stated Adeyemi’s quickness is “always a weapon” for opposition teams.
Terzic noted that if the opponent attacks, they may be more apprehensive about counterattacks. “We want to use our weapons on the field in attack and defense.”
In Dortmund’s 4-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt two weeks earlier, Adeyemi showed his jumping ability with an assist. Three goals and three assists in three games.
As Dortmund gained momentum for its final three games, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and experienced defender Mats Hummels also excelled against Wolfsburg.
The team hosts Borussia Mönchengladbach, visits Augsburg, and finishes at home against Mainz.
Before concluding the season in Cologne, Bayern hosts Schalke and Leipzig.
Bayern plays before Dortmund in the next two rounds, which Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl says gives Bayern an advantage.
“Nobody asked us, but it’s a disadvantage if you always have to catch up over the next three weeks,” Kehl added.
Emre Can, another standout against Wolfsburg, believes the team can end Bayern’s 10-year dynasty.
Nothing is predetermined. “We want to win our games and see what happens,” Can stated. “But the belief.” AP soccer:
