BERLIN — Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored twice as Borussia Dortmund thrashed Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-0 Saturday to kick off its Bundesliga season with a bang. Marcel Heller also found the net twice, including a sensational 70-metre solo run for his first goal, as promoted Darmstadt 98 marked its return to the Bundesliga after 33 years with a 2-2 draw with Hanover 96.
Dortmund, in last place midway through last season before a comeback rescued a Europa League spot, showed it means business under new coach Thomas Tuchel, giving Gladbach, third last season, no chance whatsoever.
It was also the perfect Bundesliga debut on the Dortmund bench for Tuchel, eager to quickly shake off the shadow of his predecessor Juergen Klopp, who won two German league titles with them.
Marco Reus' unstoppable shot beat keeper Yann Sommer in the 15th minute and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled its lead six minutes later, heading in a Marcel Schmelzer cross.
With Dortmund keeping up its frenzied attacking pace it did not take long for it to score again, with a three-touch attack sending Mkhitaryan clear at the far post for a tap in.
The Armenian added another five minutes after the restart from a Reus cutback as the defense of Gladbach.
Lyon beats Guingamp
Forward Claudio Beauvue came off the bench to score against his former club as Lyon earned a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Guingamp in the French league Saturday.
Lyon signed Beauvue from Guingamp in the offseason after he scored 17 league goals last term, many of those playing as a winger. He pounced in the 79th minute with a looping header from midfielder Jordan Ferri's right-wing cross.The win gives Lyon four points, two less than provisional leader Caen, which sealed a second straight win after beating Toulouse 1-0 at home, thanks to a 70th minute goal from center half Damien Da Silva.
Also Saturday, Saint-Etienne's poor record against Bordeaux continued as it conceded a last-minute goal to draw 1-1.
The draw means Saint-Etienne has now won only three of its past 24 matches against Bordeaux.
Elsewhere, Polish striker Kamil Grosicki scored his first goal for Rennes as the Brittany side beat last-place Montpellier 1-0, and 10-man Troyes clawed back from 3-1 down to secure a 3-3 home draw against Nice.
In Saturday's other match, Angers drew 0-0 at home to Nantes. — Agencies
