Borussia Dortmund produced a resilient away performance to defeat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at the BayArena on Saturday, leapfrogging their hosts into third place in the Bundesliga standings.
In a contest with significant Champions League implications, goals from Aaron Anselmino and Karim Adeyemi secured a vital three points for Niko Kovac’s side. The victory moves Dortmund to 25 points, overtaking Leverkusen (23) and closing the gap on second-placed RB Leipzig to just a single point.
Aerial Dominance Seals the Points
Coming off a commanding 4-0 Champions League victory over Villarreal, Dortmund started with confidence but had to weather early pressure from a Leverkusen side fresh from their own European triumph against Manchester City.
The breakthrough arrived in the 41st minute via a set-piece. Daniel Svensson delivered a precise free-kick which was met by Aaron Anselmino. The Argentina youth international rose highest to power a header past Mark Flekken, silencing the home crowd just before the interval.
Dortmund doubled their advantage shortly after the hour mark. Substitute Fabio Silva made an immediate impact, delivering a pin-point cross from the right flank that found Karim Adeyemi. The German forward directed a firm header into the net in the 65th minute, seemingly putting the game beyond reach.
Late Drama at the BayArena
Leverkusen, who had rattled the crossbar twice through Jonas Hofmann and Ernest Poku, finally found a lifeline in the 83rd minute. Substitute Christian Kofane capitalized on a period of sustained pressure, finishing a move orchestrated by Ibrahim Maza to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The goal set up a frantic finale, with the hosts besieging the Dortmund penalty area. However, Kovac’s defensive unit, marshalled by Nico Schlotterbeck and the impressive Anselmino, held firm to secure the win.
“It was not easy. After the goal we conceded they put pressure on us,” Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac admitted in his post-match press conference. “There was tension in the last minutes but we defended well today. I had a really good feeling… despite the late pressure, I still felt that nothing would go wrong.”
Kovac was particularly pleased with his side’s mental fortitude following their midweek exertions: “Four days after Villarreal, to play the game in such a way shows the team is learning.”
Bundesliga Standings Update
The result reshuffles the top four, with Dortmund now sitting third. They remain nine points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich, who consolidated their title charge with a 3-1 win over St. Pauli earlier in the day.
|
Pos |
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
GD |
Pts |
|
1 |
Bayern Munich |
12 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
+35 |
34 |
|
2 |
RB Leipzig |
12 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
+9 |
26 |
|
3 |
Borussia Dortmund |
12 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
+10 |
25 |
|
4 |
Bayer Leverkusen |
12 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
+11 |
23 |
Up Next
The two sides will not have to wait long to renew hostilities. They meet again on Tuesday in the DFB-Pokal Round of 16, with the venue switching to Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.
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