(Football news) Borussia Dortmund have started 2023 in great fashion as they cruised past hosts Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 on Sunday for their third win in the league since the Bundesliga resumed after the winter break. They have now climbed to within three points of the top spot as Dortmund’s comfortable victory subsequently snapped Leverkusen’s five-game winning run in the Bundesliga which dropped them to ninth in the Bundesliga table.
German international Karim Adeyemi scored his first Bundesliga goal after a good passing move from Dortmund in the 33rd minute. Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby had a shot saved earlier and forced a superb save from keeper Gregor Kobel. The keeper had come to save his side again three minutes after the restart as he stopped both Diaby and Amine Adli. Dortmund, who are set to play Chelsea on Feb. 15 in the Champions League Round of 16, doubled their lead in the 53rd when Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba scored an own goal when he turned Marius Wolf’s cutback into his own net.
The Burkina Faso international defender had an evening to forget after he almost scored a second own goal in the 72nd minute. This time he attempted to clear yet another cutback but this time from Julian Brandt stabbed it towards goal before Jeremie Frimpong cleared the ball on the line. This was Dortmund’s third straight victory which moved them up to fourth place on 34 points as they are well and truly in the title race, three points off leaders Bayern Munich and one behind third-placed RB Leipzig while surprise title contenders Union Berlin are also in the mix.
“Today it was not only an important win but also a deserved one and this is something we liked. We still have a long way to go but this was a good step now,” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic. “We delivered a solid and strong performance. But don’t make us out to be better than we really are or worse than we are. This win won’t mean much if we don’t keep at it and keep delivering the same performances. We are satisfied with the nine points [from three matches this year].”
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