A return that deserves all the applause in the world. Ivorian footballer Sébastien Haller scored his first official goal on Saturday since his long absence due to testicular cancer, a disease detected last summer. The deliverance came in the 51st minute of the match against Freiburg on an unstoppable header. The goal of the break for an easy victory (5-1).
Ten days ago, he was able to celebrate his first assist for his second appearance. This time, the 28-year-old striker did what he knows how to do best. Second tenure and first goal in the colors of Dortmund for the one who had joined the Yellow and Black this summer from Ajax Amsterdam where he had revealed himself at the highest level. “My first objective is to be back on the pitch. play for The Yellow Wall and score my first goal. It will be a magnificent and moving moment, ”he said at the end of October for one of his first public appearances. This moment has arrived, under the cheers of the mythical public of the Ruhr.
His illness was detected in July a few weeks after his signing. Terrible news when he had recruited to compensate for the departure of Norwegian Erling Haaland to Manchester City.
The native of Ris-Orangis (Essonne) then underwent two operations and four cycles of chemotherapy. Now in remission, he returned to training in January, a very trying path that allowed him to return to official competition three weeks ago. He is now ready for the clash against Chelsea in the knockout stages of the Champions League (February 15 and March 7).
“I’ve been waiting for this moment since day-1”
“It means a lot to me, I’ve been waiting for this moment since day-1. I’m just happy and I hope I made many people happy. The road is still long, we will continue to work”, reacted Haller after the meeting at the microphone of the broadcaster Sky.
Chance of the calendar, Haller scored his first goal on February 4, World Cancer Day. For the occasion, a small bump had been added to the central circle of the Westfalenstadion before the kick-off, symbolizing a tumor.