Bundesliga 2022/23 | Dortmund, Bayern separated by a point in title charge

Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring their second goal.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Borussia Dortmund scored four goals in a dazzling 32-minute first-half spell to ease past Borussia Moenchengladbach 5-2 on Saturday and stay in the title hunt with two matches left in the Bundesliga season.

Dortmund are on 67 points in second place, one behind leaders Bayern Munich, 6-0 winners over Schalke 04 earlier on Saturday. Dortmund travel to Augsburg next weekend while Bayern face Champions League hopefuls RB Leipzig.

The hosts shot out of the blocks and went in front after five minutes when Donyell Malen nodded in from close range after Sebastien Haller’s shot from the edge of the box got deflected.

Jude Bellingham slotted in a penalty in the 18th minute before Haller’s spectacular backheel flick made it 3-0 just two minutes later.

With Gladbach down for the count, Haller added another goal with a well-timed volley from Malen’s cutback in the 32nd.

Dortmund gradually eased off, allowing Gladbach to pull back a goal with a Ramy Bensebaini spot kick in the 75th minute and further cut the gap with Lars Stindl’s low drive five minutes before the end.

But Gio Reyna struck again for the hosts with the last kick of the game to make it 5-2.

Bayern Munich close in on title with 6-0 demolition of Schalke 04

Munich’s scorer Joshua Kimmich, front left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side’s second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Schalke 04 in Munich, Germany, Saturday, May 13, 2023.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Bayern Munich powered past struggling Schalke 04 6-0 on Saturday, with two goals from Serge Gnabry, to open up a four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga and close in on their 11th straight league crown with two games remaining.

The Bavarians are on 68 points and have two games left to play. Borussia Dortmund, who have three left and were taking on Borussia Moenchengladbach later on Saturday, are in second place on 64.

“This win gives us a good atmosphere for the next two matches,” coach Thomas Tuchel said. “We created chances from the start but there is no need to be euphoric. It was a good performance and the next step in the right direction.

“We gained a bit of confidence and that helps us. We created many chances, scored many goals and that makes us feel good. Now we need to carry this energy into the next week.”

Thomas Mueller, whose future at the club has been in doubt since his benching with the arrival of Tuchel in March, made the most of a rare start, opening their account in the 21st minute.

Joshua Kimmich doubled their lead eight minutes later with a well-struck penalty and, with Schalke offering no resistance, the Bavarians picked up where they had left off after the break.

Gnabry drilled in his shot in the 50th after Joao Cancelo’s superb early work in the box and the Germany international bagged his fourth goal in the last three games 15 minutes later with a dizzying 50-metre sprint.

Gnabry is now Bayern’s top scorer in the Bundesliga this season with 13 goals so far.

Substitute Mathys Tel also got on the score sheet from a Jamal Musiala assist and then turned provider himself for Noussair Mazraoui in stoppage time to make it half a dozen goals for the hosts.

The win piled pressure on Dortmund to match them later on Saturday while also offering club bosses some respite following the team’s German Cup and Champions League exit under Tuchel.