Moussa Diaby on Tuesday starred with a goal and an assist as Bayer 04 Leverkusen went second in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund.
French winger Diaby’s early opener was canceled out by a 67th-minute equalizer from Julian Brandt against his former club.
Dortmund were left to regret a host of missed chances when Diaby then set up a superb goal by Leverkusen’s 17-year-old midfielder Florian Wirtz for the winner 10 minutes from time.
Photo: AP
“The second half was an open exchange of blows, but we did well in the end,” Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz said.
The victory was Leverkusen’s first in five league games and puts them second on goal-difference, level on 32 points with RB Leipzig and four points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
The away defeat was a fresh blow to Dortmund’s title hopes, leaving them seven points adrift of Bayern.
“We are not able to keep up the level needed for 90 minutes,” Brandt said.
“A lot can happen in 17 games, but we are far away” from leaders Bayern in the table, Brandt added.
Referring to his teammates, Dortmund captain Marco Reus said that the title race “did not play a relevant role — not before or after the game.”
Leverkusen took the lead in the 14th minute when they returned a clearance by Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki, which was snapped up by Leon Bailey at halfway.
The Jamaica winger put in a diagonal pass to Diaby who sprinted away from the Dortmund defense and fired past Buerki.
Dortmund equalized midway through the second half when Brandt hit the far bottom corner. He then squandered another chance moments later.
England winger Jadon Sancho also fired wide, as the two sides had a string of opportunities.
Diaby then put Wirtz in enough space to steer the winner past Buerki.
VfL Wolfsburg are fifth, level with Dortmund on 29 points, after a 2-0 win at FSV Mainz 05, thanks to goals by midfielder Bartosz Bialek and striker Wout Weghorst.
Hertha BSC have not scored in their past three matches, as TSG 1899 Hoffenheim earned their first victory in four games this year with a 3-0 win in Berlin.
Hertha striker Krzysztof Piatek had his early penalty attempt saved superbly by visiting goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.
Sebastian Rudy put Hoffenheim ahead with 30 minutes played, then striker Andrej Kramaric added two second-half goals.
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