Borussia Dortmund beat RB Leipzig at home on Friday to move to the top of the Bundesliga table. The hosts came into the match as one of the best teams in Europe. After all, the Germans had won all nine of their games since the Bundesliga resumed in January. That includes wins over Freiburg and Chelsea during this stretch.
Dortmund’s Julian Brandt thought he put his team ahead on 13 minutes with Dortmund’s first shot on goal. Jude Bellingham initially played a beautiful ball over the Leipzig defence. The German had a bit of luck with a loose touch, but he picked the ball up and passed to Janis Blaswich. Bellingham raised his arms in celebration before Brandt even took the shot. However, the score was scored in a handball VAR replay of Brandt.
Reus gives advantage with a perfectly placed penalty
The hosts were awarded a penalty seven minutes later when Blaswich hit Marco Reus inside the box. Reus attempted a shot during the incident, but was hit by the goalkeeper. The midfielder would go on to take the penalty himself and eventually give his team the advantage. Reus found the side netting, narrowly beating a diving Blaswich.
Leipzig nearly leveled the scores in the 35th minute. Marcel Halstenberg found himself wide open just a yard or two in front of the Dortmund goal. Emil Forsberg finished off a cross that fell straight to Halstenberg. The defender, however, somehow squandered the glorious chance to tie the game.
Dortmund would take advantage of the big miss and double their lead just three minutes later. The visitors headed the ball away from a dangerous free kick inside the area. Emre Can waited patiently for the ball to reach his feet just outside the box and fired a low shot into the back of the net. There were plenty of Leipzig defenders in front of the Blaswich goal, but the ball somehow found its way to the end.
Leipzig struggle to make things interesting in Dortmund
Reus almost added a third for the locals in the 67th minute of the game. The midfielder made a dangerous spiraling effort towards goal, but Blaswich made the big save. However, Leipzig would continue to attack Dortmund’s goal for much of the remainder of the second half.
The visitors scored a goal in the 74th minute. Substitute David Raum found space inside the box and sent a low pass in front of the goal. Forsberg caught the pass at the far post and put the ball into the net. It was the Swede’s fifth goal of the current Bundesliga campaign.
Despite the late attack, time ran out in Leipzig and the match ended 2-1 for the hosts. The win puts Dortmund three points ahead of rival Bayern Munich in the standings. However, the reigning German champions play Stuttgart on Saturday in a chance to get back on top. Dortmund and Leipzig will meet again in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals in April.
PHOTO: IMAGO / kolbert-press
