Beleaguered Bayern suffer further title blow as Dortmund win Der Klassiker

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30 Mar 2024
18

Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title hopes were left hanging by a thread after they fell 13 points off the pace as Borussia Dortmund claimed their first win at the Allianz Arena for a decade.

After leaders Bayer Leverkusen hit back to edge out Hoffenheim, Dortmund claimed a 2-0 win in Der Klassiker thanks to goals from Karim Adeyemi and Julian Ryerson to leave Bayern’s title defence in tatters with just seven games left in the season.

Harry Kane was wasteful on his return from an ankle injury that had ruled him out of England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, twice heading wide when it might have been easier to score, while Dortmund were indebted to a star performance from 35-year-old Mats Hummels on his return to Bavaria.

The former Bayern defender made a record 29th Der Klassiker appearance and produced an acrobatic stop to deny Eric Dier to ensure Adeyemi’s 10th-minute opener separated the sides at the interval.

Hummels made a series of important interventions to break up Bayern attacks before Ryerson struck seven minutes from time as Dortmund claimed victory at the home of their rivals for the first time since 2014.

To rub salt into the wound, Kane, who bagged a hat-trick in Bayern’s 4-0 win in the reverse fixture in November, looked to have pulled one back late on, only to be ruled offside by VAR.

Leroy Sane and Kane both passed up chances as Bayern controlled the early running, but they were caught cold after losing possession in opposition territory and Dortmund quickly broke up field.

Julian Brandt slotted in Adeyemi, who dispatched a first-time effort from a narrow angle with his left foot that Sven Ulreich, deputising for Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, got a hand to but could not keep out.

Buoyed by their opener, Dortmund went on the attack again, but Hummels dragged wide after being teed up by Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho before Kane passed up a gilt-edged chance to draw Bayern level.

Joshua Kimmich’s cross needed just a strong header from the unmarked Kane, but he instead glanced wide, while former Tottenham team-mate Eric Dier saw a point-blank header denied on the line by a flying boot from Hummels before Emre Can hooked clear.

Dier had not made the cleanest of connections at the back post, but it still needed a remarkable intervention from Hummels, who instinctively threw up his right leg to deny his fellow defender.

Kane had a quiet first half but was in the thick of the action after half-time when he unselfishly squared for Alphonso Davies, who made a hash of his effort and the ball sailed harmlessly wide.

Dortmund, though, should have given themselves some breathing room, only for Felix Nmecha’s close-range effort to be terrifically palmed away by Ulreich, who made amends for his role in Dortmund’s goal.

It might have been a costly miss, but Kane directed a header at the back post from a corner wide of the target.

Kingsley Coman’s fierce strike was tipped over by Alexander Meyer, just Bayern’s second effort on target as they continued to be thwarted before Ryerson effectively sealed the three points for Dortmund.

Following good work from Sancho on the left, the ball was spread to the right and Sebastien Haller laid it off to Ryerson, who from the edge of the box lashed low across Ulreich and into the net.

As Bayern fans headed for the exits in their droves, Kane thought he had pulled one back after heading home from Noussair Mazraoui’s cross, but VAR ruled he had strayed slightly offside, epitomising his and Bayern’s fortunes on a forgettable night.

Raphinha on target as Barcelona edge past 10-man Las Palmas

Raphinha’s second-half goal helped Barcelona edge out 10-man Las Palmas 1-0 to close the gap on LaLiga leaders Real Madrid to five points.

Barcelona saw two goals chalked off for offside and Robert Lewandowski hit the bar but Las Palmas had goalkeeper Alvaro Valles red carded for a crude challenge on Raphinha outside his box after 25 minutes.

Xavi’s side were unable to initially capitalise on the extra man but Joao Felix came off the bench and provided a delicately-weighted ball over the top for Raphinha to head into the net in the 59th minute.

Felix could have given Barcelona some breathing room but conspired to hit the goal frame from point-blank range. However, the hosts extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches.

The Catalan giants were far from their best against mid-table opposition who are now winless in their last half-dozen league games but they have kept pressure on Real, who welcome Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Barcelona started strongly on Saturday night as Lewandowski was flagged offside before chipping over and then again after slotting home in the fifth minute, denying him a 21st goal of the campaign.

They had the ball in the net once more after 20 minutes when Lewandowski bore down on goal before teeing up Raphinha, who slipped inside and slotted beyond Valles only for the assistant’s flag to go up.

While Raphinha was onside when given the ball by Lewandowski, the Brazilian was clearly offside when his team-mate was originally put through and VAR upheld the official’s original decision.

If the hosts felt hard done by, they were given a boost when Valles was given his marching orders after rushing out of his goal and upending Raphinha, who had sprung the offside trap as he tried to latch on to Sergi Roberto’s through ball.

Valles and Las Palmas bitterly protested referee Mateo Busquets’ red card but the goalkeeper got none of the ball before cleaning out Raphinha and VAR backed the decision, leaving the visitors down to 10 players for more than an hour.

The dismissal led to the withdrawal of Munir El Haddadi and introduction of Aaron Escandell, who was soon beaten by Lewandowski’s header but the frame of the goal came to the goalkeeper’s rescue.

Raphinha drilled wide but despite all their dominance, Barcelona were given a major scare on the stroke of half-time when Saul Coco’s free-kick flashed fractionally wide.

Felix was sent on for Fermin Lopez shortly after the resumption and the on-loan Atletico Madrid forward had a near instant impact as his deft chip behind the defence led to Raphinha sweeping in and heading beyond Escandell to finally break Las Palmas’ resistance.

Barcelona went in search of a second and another teasing delivery from Felix was met by fellow substitute Ferran Torres, although his effort was well saved by Escandell.

Felix blotted his copybook by thudding against the crossbar inside the six-yard area, with the ball cannoning off Escandell’s right leg, the post then the substitute goalkeeper’s left leg before being cleared.

That miss might have come back to haunt him had substitute Alberto Moleiro found the right side of the net after cutting inside and lashing towards goal, but Barcelona were able to hang on and remain within distance of Real with eight matches of the season remaining.


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