Bundesliga: Leipzig thrash Dortmund as Bayern extend their lead

(Football news) Dortmund’s title challenge is all but over as Leipzig hammered home 4 goals against a hapless Dortmund defence. RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer scored twice and set up a third goal for a stunning 4-1 victory at the Signal Iduna Park and this result left Dortmund nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich with six matches remaining. Leipzig have now tightened their grip on fourth place with 48 points, as Konrad Laimer struck against the run of play when he delightfully chipped the ball over keeper Gregor Kobel in the 21st minute.Erling Haaland was in the starting line-up and in front of packed stadium but it turned into a nightmare when the Austria international Laimer was again on the scoresheet with his second goal as he deflected his shot 10 minutes later.

Dortmund had a couple of golden chances early in the first half with Marco Reus and Haaland coming close in the first half but were not at their best in the second half. Haaland, who had suffered an ankle injury earlier in the week while on international duty, was far from his usual best. Leipzig took advantage of this and killed off the game when Christopher Nkunku was set up by a Laimer’s beautifully waited backheel,as his goal made it 3-0 in the 58th minute. Although substitute Donyell Malen managed to cut the deficit down in the 84th with a header at the far post but Leipzig responded emphatically two minutes later with a thunderbolt strike from Dani Olmo's outside the box to seal an emphatic victory.

"We started well in the game, had a big chance for a 1-0. Then we lost possession … and it's 1-0. Then we concede a deflected second goal," said Dortmund coach Marco Rose.

"We let in a third, beaten on the break, and then in the end a 4-1 is too much. They were more efficient in attack and defence. We should not talk about the title now. Now we need to analyse what happened and go to VfB Stuttgart on Friday next week and get points."

Bayern Munich scored four past Freiburg to edge closer to their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title after a strong second half to the Champions League hopefuls 4-1 on Saturday and take a big step towards the league title with six games left. Leon Goretzka, made his comeback after a four-month injury break and immediately made an impact when he headed the visitors in front in the 58th minute before substitute Nils Petersen equalised five minutes later with his 100th goal for Freiburg 17 seconds after coming on as a substitute. On the other hand Bayern substitutes made an impact as Serge Gnabry responded with a fine first touch and finish in the 73rd to put them back in the lead before Kingsley Coman virtually sealed the result with a low drive in the 82nd minute to make 3-1

Marcel Sabitzer then put the icing on the cake when he rifled in his first Bundesliga goal for Bayern in stoppage time as the champions moved up to 66 points, nine ahead of Borussia Dortmund. Freiburg remained fifth on 45 points after Bayern snapped their six-game unbeaten run. The game was marked with a brief moment of chaos in the final minutes after confusion between match officials and Bayern coaching staff over substitutions, with Bayern having played a few seconds with 12 men.

Also read: Liverpool and City secure three points and Chelsea and Man Utd falter

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