Teenager Mario Goetze scored one goal and set up the other as Borussia Dortmund won 2-0 at FSV Mainz 05 on Sunday to leapfrog their opponents at the top of the Bundesliga.
The 18-year-old Germany under-21 midfielder showed why he is one of the most promising prospects in the league when he weaved his way into the box and wrong-footed goalkeeper Christian Wetklo with a clever low drive in the 26th minute.
Goetze turned provider in the 67th minute, flicking on a through-ball for Paraguay international Lucas Barrios to round Wetklo for his fifth league goal of the season.
PHOTO: AFP
Mainz, lacking their usual offensive spark, had Eugen Polanski’s penalty saved by goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller in the 48th minute.
Dortmund equaled a club record with their fifth successive away win. Their fifth straight away victory from the start of the season is also a Bundesliga record.
They are top with 25 points from 10 games.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim crushed Hannover 96 4-0 to move up to third place on 18 points, level with Bayer Leverkusen who beat Schalke 04 1-0 on Saturday.
Hannover played most of the match with 10 men after Manuel Schmiedebach was sent off for a second yellow card on 19 minutes.
Most eyes in Germany, however, were on the battle for top spot.
“We applied our game plan very well against a tough opponent,” said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp, who spent 18 years with Mainz as a player and coach. “As for the Bundesliga title, we are giving it exactly zero thought at the moment.”
It may have been a sentimental return to Mainz for Klopp, but his Dortmund players were in no mood for nostalgia.
Dortmund quickly took the initiative and missed three excellent chances after only 20 minutes. Wetklo then miskicked a pass from teammate Nikolce Noveski and watched the ball roll just wide of the hosts goal.
Goetze, gave the visitors a deserved lead with a fine solo run, shaking off three defenders before slotting home.
Dortmund did not ease off, Barrios hitting the post eight minutes later with Mainz’s defense in tatters.
The hosts did get a chance to level in the 48th minute, but Weidenfeller saved Polanski’s penalty.
Wetklo made two spectacular saves to deny Mats Hummels and Shinji Kagawa, before Barrios made sure of the points.
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