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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates his second goal with a backflip
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is head over heels after scoring his and Dortmund’s second against Mainz. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/EPA
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is head over heels after scoring his and Dortmund’s second against Mainz. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/EPA

Aubameyang double gives Borussia Dortmund winning start against Mainz

This article is more than 7 years old

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first goals of the season gave Borussia Dortmund a 2-1 win over Mainz in their opening Bundesliga game on Saturday.

Aubameyang, who told the Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski “the race is started” after the latter’s hat-trick on Friday, got off the mark in the 17th minute when André Schürrle produced a brilliant floated cross for the Gabon striker to head inside the far post.

The goal spurred Mainz into a response and the visitors went close, forcing Roman Bürki into action, shooting over, then drawing another save from Bürki before Dortmund recovered. Christian Clemens missed a good chance to equalize after the break, but Aubameyang sealed the result with a penalty in the 89th minute after Karim Onisiwo pulled Schürrle back. Yoshinori Muto claimed Mainz’s consolation in injury time.

“The result is important, especially because we weren’t in the best form on the day,” said the Dortmund manager, Thomas Tuchel, who has seen key players such as Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels leave to be replaced by young talents this summer.

Bayern opened their title defense with a 6-0 rout of Werder Bremen on Friday.

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