Marco Reus scored the winner as Borussia Dormund defeated Borussia Moenchengladbach 1-0 to move within a point of the top of the Bundesliga yesterday.
Despite the defeat Moenchengladbach stay top on goal difference over unbeaten Wolfsburg, with both on 16 points, one ahead of Bayern Munich, Dortmund and RB Leipzig.
Only two points separate the top nine and the leadership could change hands today if Schalke win at Hoffenheim.
Bayern conceded a stoppage time goal in a 2-2 draw at Augsburg, while Leipzig and Wolfsburg finished 1-1.
Dortmund got back to winning ways after three straight 2-2 draws, thanks to a 58th-minute goal from Reus. The Germany forward finished from a pass by Thorgan Hazard, who in the first half had a goal disallowed against his former club following a video review.
England international Jadon Sancho was dropped from the Dortmund squad for disciplinary reasons after he reportedly returned late to the club from international duty.
In Augsburg, Robert Lewandowski continued his goalscoring streak with his 12th of the Bundesliga season in eight matches but Bayern had to settle for a point.
Augsburg had shocked Bayern with a goal after 27 seconds when Marco Richter volleyed in, but Lewandowski levelled with a glancing header from Serge Gnabry’s cross in the 14th minute.
Lewandowski has equalled a league record by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of scoring in the first eight games of the season. Aubameyang, now with Arsenal, achieved that feat with Borussia Dortmund in the 2015-16 season.
With goals now in 11 straight competitive games, Lewandowski has also equalled a club record set by Carsten Jancker in 2000.
Gnabry made it two for the German champions with a well-placed left-foot shot from the edge of the area shortly after the break.
But Niko Kovac’s side squandered opportunities to increase their lead and were punished when substitute Alfred Finnbogason tapped in as the game went into stoppage time.
Bayern could now be without Niklas Suele for a long period after the central defender limped off early with a knee injury.
“From what I have heard a cruciate ligament is damaged,” Kovac said. “Now we have to see to what extent other areas in the knee have been affected.”
Kovac, who again left Thomas Mueller on the bench, with the midfielder replacing Philippe Coutinho in the 80th minute, said his team had full control of the game but did not take their chances.
“If you can’t do that then at least you shouldn’t concede a second goal,” he said.
“Two shots (from Augsburg) on goal, two goals — that annoys me. We did not reward ourselves for our efforts and the good game we played is now for nought. What’s worse is the injury to Niklas Suele.”
In Leipzig, the home side went ahead against Wolfsburg when Timo Werner rounded keeper Pavao Pervan in the 54th minute, but Wout Weghorst scored from close range for the visitors with eight minutes remaining.
Freiburg missed a chance of going top on 17 points when they slid to a 2-0 defeat at promoted Union Berlin, who ended a four-game losing series.
Werder Bremen and Hertha Berlin finished 1-1, while Fortuna Dusseldorf were 1-0 winners over Mainz, who had Edimilson Fernandes sent off after a second booking just before half-time. On Friday, Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
RESULTS
n RB Leipzig 1 (Werner 54) VfL Wolfsburg 1 (Weghorst 82)
n Werder Bremen 1 (Sagent 7) Hertha Berlin 1 (Lukebakio 70)
n Fortuna Duesseldorf 1 (Hennings 82) Mainz 0
n Augsburg 2 (Richter 1, Finnbogason 90+1) Bayern Munich 2 (Lewandowski 14, Gnabry 49)
n Union Berlin 2 (Buelter 1, Ingvartsen 84) Freiburg 0
n Borussia Dortmund 1 (Reus 58) Borussia Moenchengladbach 0
Dortmund’s Marco Reus (centre) celebrates his goal against Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, Germany, yesterday. (AFP)
