Aubameyang treble eases Dortmund past Qäbälä
Thursday, October 22, 2015
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Qäbälä 1-3 Dortmund
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick in Azerbaijan as Group C leaders BVB became the first European side to beat Qäbälä in Baku this season.
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- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nets hat-trick in Azerbaijan
- Dortmund forward with 14 goals in 12 matches this term
- Group C leaders BVB secure second win in three outings
- Qäbälä suffer first defeat in six European home games
- The teams meet again at the BVB Stadion Dortmund on 5 November
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang registered a hat-trick in Azerbaijan as Dortmund became the first side to beat Qäbälä in a European tie in Baku this season.
The Bundesliga outfit initially struggled to break down a dogged Qäbälä team – who had not conceded in 450 minutes of European football at the Bakcell Arena prior to kick-off. However, Aubameyang made it 14 goals in his last 12 outings in all competitions as the visitors returned to winning ways in the UEFA Europa League, though only after a few scares at the back for Dortmund.
BVB went into the game as Group C leaders, yet it was quickly apparent they would not have it all their own way. Six minutes in, Sergei Zenjov, unmarked inside the area, nodded wide at the post before Dodô went even closer to breaking the deadlock. The Qäbälä skipper beat Roman Weidenfeller with a dinked effort but the No10 was denied by a last-ditch clearance from Matthias Ginter on the line.
On 31 minutes, Aubameyang made the breakthrough with a wonderful strike – his first in the section – turning and spinning outside the box before finding the top corner past Dmytro Bezotosniy. Seven minutes later, the same player netted again, running through on goal before poking past the onrushing Qäbälä custodian. Vojislav Stanković missed a glorious chance at the back post moments before the interval as Roman Hrygorchuk's charges looked for a way back into the match.
It was all Dortmund in the second period, with Bezotosniy producing a fantastic stop to thwart Jonas Hofmann. But there was no denying Aubameyang who completed his hat-trick on 72 minutes. Bezotosniy saved substitute Sven Bender's volley but could not prevent the No17 notching a treble from the rebound. The Azerbaijani side did claim an added-time consolation as Dodô slotted home, but this was nonetheless a resounding first away success for Thomas Tuchel's BVB.