Dortmund win as Bundesliga pays tribute to George Floyd

Moenchengladbach's French forward Marcus Thuram joined an array of sporting personalities in protesting racism in the United States when he took a knee after scoring for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Sunday.(AFP)

By Reuters/AFP

Published: Sun 31 May 2020, 9:47 PM

Last updated: Mon 1 Jun 2020, 1:36 AM

Borussia Dortmund kept alive their slim title hopes in the Bundesliga after a hat trick by England forward Jadon Sancho helped them to a 6-1 win at bottom team Paderborn on Sunday.
The result left Dortmund second on 60 points from 29 games with five rounds of matches remaining, seven behind champions and league leaders Bayern Munich. Paderborn remained rooted to the foot of the standings on 19 points.
But it was Marcus Thuram that made the headlines as the French star joined an array of sporting personalities in protesting racism in the United States when he took a knee after scoring for Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.

Ihr habt entschieden! Doppelpacker @MarcusThuram ist euer #CichonPM Spieler des Spiels! Glückwunsch! #BMGFCU pic.twitter.com/PqdCiWa0XK
- Borussia (@borussia) May 31, 2020

Thuram's gesture echoed past protests by National Football League players in the US in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The issue has surged back into the headlines following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Thuram's gesture was the second protest in the Bundesliga this weekend.
The 22-year-old French striker continued his recent hot form with two goals as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat visiting Union Berlin 4-1.

And repeat! ??

Plea once again sets up Marcus Thuram to score ???? pic.twitter.com/Ff8kTnbiJT
- ????Ja! Watch the Bundesliga live on BT Sport???? (@btsportfootball) May 31, 2020

Because of social distancing rules, goal celebrations were muted but after Thuram headed his team's second goal just before half time he took the opportunity to make a solitary statement, kneeling and bowing his head.
At half time, his club tweeted a photo with the caption: "No explanation needed."
After the game, Gladbach coach Marco Rose said Thuram had his backing.
"Marcus has made the point. He has set an example against racism that we all support," Rose said.
Thuram, whose father, French World Cup winner Lilian runs the Education against Racism foundation in Paris, was the latest show of solidarity with the current protests sweeping the United States.
In the Bundesliga on Saturday, Schalke's US midfielder Weston McKennie wore an armband against Werder Bremen bearing the words "Justice for George".
"To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on to long feels good!!!" he tweeted.
On Saturday, in the United States, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said there "remains an urgent need for action" as violent protests rocked the country.
"The protesters' reactions to these incidents reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel," Goodell said. "As current events dramatically underscore, there remains much more to do as a country and as a league."
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown returned to his native Georgia to lead a peaceful protest match in Atlanta

"One of the best of his generation."

??? @axelwitsel28 on @Sanchooo10 pic.twitter.com/FOsMSjUfbr
- Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) May 31, 2020

Meanwhile, Thorgan Hazard gave Dortmund a 54th-minute lead from close range against Paderborn and Sancho made it 2-0 three minutes later with a simple tap-in. Uwe Huenemeier pulled one back for Paderborn with a 72nd-minute penalty before Sancho scored Dortmund's third two minutes later with a fine left-foot shot and Achraf Hakimi drilled in the fourth in the 85th minute.
Marcel Schmelzer made it 5-1 with a close-range goal in the 89th and Sancho completed his hat trick barely 60 seconds later as Paderborn fell apart in the closing stages, giving him time and space to steer the ball past keeper Leopold Zingerle.