Joshua Kimmich on Tuesday described his winning goal as “brutally important” after Bayern Munich took a huge step toward an eighth straight Bundesliga title with a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund to leave them seven points clear at the top with just six games left.
Kimmich’s brilliant effort came just before halftime behind closed doors at Signal Iduna Park, as hosts Dortmund missed the chance to turn up the heat without the backing of their huge support.
“It was brutally important: I looked around to see if everyone understood how important it was,” Kimmich said of his deft chip.
Photo: AFP
Bayern captain Manuel Neuer echoed the defensive midfielder, saying: “That was a very important sign.”
Bayern won 4-0 when the teams met in Munich in November last year and they kept up their excellent recent record against second-placed Dortmund.
“Now only Bayern can decide what happens,” Dortmund captain Mats Hummels said. “Sometimes, games are decided by brilliant moments and that was the case today.”
Dortmund star striker Erling Braut Haaland, who had scored 10 goals in as many league games, failed to make an impact against Bayern’s watertight defense before going off injured in the second half.
Jerome Boateng and David Alaba gave him no room, while Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in the midfield made sure that passes intended for him rarely met their mark.
Haaland limped off with 20 minutes left after a heavy tackle from Boateng.
Things might have been different, with Haaland coming close inside the first minute with an attempt that went through the legs of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but was kicked off the line by Boateng.
At the other end, Lukasz Piszczek cleared a Serge Gnabry shot just short of the line and moments later, Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki denied Kingsley Coman.
Bayern were in control and Kimmich grabbed what proved to be the winner two minutes before halftime, when he chipped to Buerki from the edge of the box.
It was the Germany international’s third league goal from outside the box this season.
In an attempt to turn the game around, Dortmund coach Lucien Favre brought on midfield enforcer Emre Can at the start of the second half and added the pace of Jadon Sancho on the wing.
With time running out, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski hit the post.
Lewandowski then had a strong appeal for a penalty waved away after a push in the box by Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji.
However, the roars of celebration at the end came from the Bayern bench and echoed around the near-empty stadium.
Elsewhere, Bayer 04 Leverkusen dropped to fifth after being routed 4-1 at home by VfL Wolfsburg, whose defender Marin Pongracic claimed two goals.
It was a shock defeat at home for Peter Bosz-coached Leverkusen who had won their past 12 games.
Climbing over Leverkusen into fourth, Borussia Moenchengladbach had a goalless draw at second-from-bottom Werder Bremen, who are two points from safety.
Eintracht Frankfurt took a point at home in a 3-3 draw with SC Freiburg thanks to late goals by Timothy Chandler and Japan striker Daichi Kamada.
Third-placed RB Leipzig would draw level on points with Dortmund if they won yesterday at home to Hertha Berlin, who have won both games so far under new head coach Bruno Labbadia.
Leipzig were to be without Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen, who is out for the season with injury.
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