Bundesliga: Dortmund blow Cologne away

Borussia Dortmund 5-0 Cologne
(Philipp 2', 69', Sokratis 45'+1', Aubameyang pen 59', 60')

Borussia Dortmund produced a five-star performance to continue their perfect start to the Bundesliga season - but Cologne sporting director Jörg Schmadtke said the club plans to protest the result after the awarding of Dortmund's second goal.

VAR played its part in two of Dortmund's goals. The first proved controversial as Sokratis's goal was initially ruled out for a push, and Cologne claim the referee blew his whistle for the offence before the ball went in, which Schmadtke claims was a "blatant refereeing error".

VAR was used again later on to assist in awarding Dortmund a penalty, which Aubameyang converted, and the striker notched another a minute later. Philipp notched his second of the game with a deft finish from close range, ensuring Dortmund stay top of the Bundesliga having won three of four and scored ten goals without reply.

Cologne were abject again and remain rooted to the bottom of the table without a single point. They've scored just one goal and have a goal difference of minus 11, as they struggle to adapt to life after Anthony Modeste.

As it happened

Borussia Dortmund 5-0 Cologne

Full time: The referee puts Cologne out of their misery and doesn't bother with any stoppage time. It ends 5-0 and Dortmund end their week on a high, but it's further misery for Cologne, whose Bundesliga form is starting to look alarming.

89' Isak almost scores on his debut! His run is spotted by Piszczek but the teenager flashes his shot across the Cologne goal. Cologne just want this nightmare to end now...

85' 17-year-old Isak is on for Aubameyang to make his Bundesliga debut.

69' GOAL! Dortmund 5-0 Cologne

Philipp bags his second of the game and Dortmund are running riot now. Dahoud spots his run and Philipp finishes the move with a delightful left foot dink over the advancing Horn. Champagne football by the hosts.

68' Yarmolenko, incidentally, has been fantastic tonight. And was also excellent against Tottenham in midweek. Dortmund seem to have bagged themselves a top player there.

67' Midway through the second half and Yarmolenko and Sahin make way for Weigl, who makes his season debut, and Pulisic. That's not a good thing for Cologne.

60' GOAL! Dortmund 4-0 Cologne

Aubameyang has another! Just a minute after making it 3-0 from the spot he tucks in from close range after Piszczek galloped down the right and put it on a plate for the striker. Game well-and-truly over.

59' GOAL! Dortmund 3-0 Cologne

Aubameyang makes no mistake from the spot, sending Horn the wrong way. Dormtund cruising, and what a difference VAR makes! 

58' Penalty to Dortmund! VAR comes into play again and a penalty is awarded after a handball against Klünter, who is booked. Aubameyang steps up...

51' Not a bad effort from Dahoud, who lets fly from distance. Flies over the top.

47' Aubameyang chance! Dortmund scored after 90 seconds of the first half and almost scored within 45 seconds of the restart. Aubameyang was sent clean through and tried to bend his low shot inside the far post, but it drifted agonisingly wide of the far post. So close. 

46' We're back underway at Signal Iduna Park.

Half time score: Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Cologne

The first 45 minutes are done and dusted and Dortmund appear to be strolling to victory. A tame half had just two key moments, one at the start and another at the very end. An uphill task for Cologne has just been made a mountainous one.

45'+1 GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Cologne

VAR has played it's part here as Sokratis scores to make it 2-0 to the hosts. It was initially ruled out by the referee for a push by Sokratis on Dominique Heintz, which then seemed to impede Timo Horn from claiming the ball from a corner. But VAR was called upon, and the goal awarded. On first glance, it looked like there was a little push by Sokratis, but the correct decision was reached.

35' Statistically, it's not really a contest, but Cologne are somehow only one goal down. They might yet salage something from this if they can seriously up their game in the second half. 

33' Sahin has a go from distance but it was always rising over the bar.

30' A corner comes in from the left and it strikes the top of the back of Piszczek but still almost creeps in.

23' Yarmolenko causing Cologne all kinds of problems. He ties Jannes Horn in knots before almost forcing an own goal with a dangerous cross from the right. Cologne need to get to grips with Yarmolenko if they hope to claw their way back into this.

16' Aubameyang chance! The forward seizes on a loose ball on the edge of box but hammers his shot into the ground, which takes some of the pace out of it - but Timo Horn palms it around the post just in case.

9' It's backs against the wall so far for Cologne, They just can't get out of their own half and at the moment it's wave after wave of Dortmund attacks. Could be a long evening for the visitors.

5' Dortmund have started the game the far more aggressive of the two teams. They actually look like they want to win it, while Cologne look a little hungover from their big night at the Emirates, which was 24 hours after Dortmund lost to Tottenham. Dortmund certainly look the more organized of the teams.

2' GOAL! Dortmund 1-0 Cologne

Well, that didn't take long. A jinking run by Yarmolenko down the right and his cross is glanced in by Max Philipp, whose run wasn't tracked.

1' KICK OFF

And we're underway.

17:55 CET

We're five minutes away from kick off in the last game of this Bundesliga weekend. Can Borussia Dortmund or Cologne end their week on a high after both suffered defeat in north London in midweek?

17:45 CET

17:05 CET

17:05 CET

 

-- Teams are out! Julian Weigl makes the bench for BVB, Frederik Sorensen is on the bench again for Cologne.

-- The final game of Matchday 4 sees a side aiming to go top of the league against one still looking for their first three points of the season. It's Borussia Dortmund vs. Cologne and it's live.