As it happened: Drama in Bundesliga title race
March 30, 2019
Dortmund 2-0 Wolfsburg // Freiburg 1-1 Bayern Munich
(Alcacer 90+1', 90+4') // (Höler 3' - Lewandowski 22')
FULL TIME
After a crazy finish where Bayern hit the post and miss a hatful of chances to win, Dortmund climb back top of the table thanks to two injury-time goals from Paco Alcacer. What drama! Dortmund settle a game that for almost 90 minutes had looked likely to end goalless. Wolfsburg put up a fine challenge, but Dortmund's quality shone through in the end. Bayern's quality became more evident, the longer the game went on but they couldn't make it count on the scoreboard. The title race is very much alive!
90+4' GOAL! 2-0 Dortmund (Alcacer) Unbelievable. Alcacer scores again and Dortmund have the points! Jadon Sancho leads the counter attack for Dortmund and picks out Alcacer via a superb dummy from Bruun Larsen. Alcacer's finish isn't the cleanest of hits, but he won't care and neither will Dortmund, whose two stoppage time strikes are sending them back to the Bundesliga summit!
90+2' POST! Goretzka heads onto the post and Lewandowski can't get the rebound in. So close for Bayern! What difference will that make come the end of the season?
90+1' CHANCE! Lewandowski is free just outside the six-yard box but somehow heads wide. What a chance, and of all the people to fall to, Lewandowski is the man Bayern would have wanted.
90+1' GOAL! 1-0 Dortmund (Alcacer) Paco Alcacer scores for Dortmund in injury time! The Spaniard lets fly direct from a free-kick on the edge of the box, and the ball finds its way through a sea of bodies to beat Casteels in the Wolfsburg goal! Astonishing finish in Dortmund, who look set to return to the top of the Bundesliga!
88' Bayern huffing and puffing but no sign of Freiburg's proverbial house falling down. Dortmund also need some inspiration. Are both sides going to draw ahead of their big meeting next weekend?
81' Wolfsburg go close twice in quick succession. Both times the ball flashes across the Dortmund goal from the left, with the home side exposed at the back both times. Dahoud is on for Dortmund for the final 10, with Ginczek stripping off for Wolfsburg. Will the former Dortmund man haunt them this afternoon?
76' CHANCE! Another huge save from Schwolow! Gnabry finds another gear again, bursts through the middle and slips in Lewandowski. He looks set to score but Schwolow is out quick and makes a big save. Starting to feel like Bayern deserve the win now.
74' Kovac rolls the dice. Ribery is on for Coman, Süle for Boateng. Needs something. In Dortmund, Raphael Gueirrero goes close with a shot from distance that deflects off the boot of William and into the arms of Casteels. Achraf Hakimi, himself a second-half substitute has had to go off injured. Lucien Favre has decided to throw on forward Jacob Bruun Larsen as Dortmund go all out attack for the final 25 minutes or so.
71' Gnabry nutmegs Heintz, hits another gear but his low effort is saved by Schwolow. Feels like a second is coming for Bayern...
67' SAVES! Schwolow makes two big saves to keep Bayern's long-range efforts out. Boateng on the half-volley, and slightly deflected, is pusehd away. Then James tries to dip an effort in at the back post, but Schwolow is alive to it again and palms it away. Important.
62' Freiburg look up for it, still. The question is if they can turn that effort into end product. A question of quality for them, as it often is. In Dortmund, Jadon Sancho goes close. Thomas Delaney spots the run of the Englishman, who brings the ball down and powers it at goal, but Koen Casteels stands up well to bat the ball away. Dortmund knocking at the door.
58' Dortmund have started the second half on the front foot but they're struggling to penetrate Wolfsburg, who look very composed at the back. The hosts missing their talisman Marco Reus at the moment. Not a very good game at the moment.
55' Bayern turn to Gnabry (for captain Müller) in hope of inspiration.
53' The real star of the first half in Dortmund was a pigeon, who is quickly, as is the trend, becoming a social media topic (this is not the first time this has happened in this fixture, remarkably). Dortmund will be hoping they can fly (sorry, had to) past Wolfsburg in the second half.
46' We are underway again! Can Bayern find a winner? Will Dortmund score?
HALFTIME
Bayern certainly the more dangerous team as the half ends, but Freiburg do pose a threat (albeit a waning one) on the break. It deserves to be level, but it feels like it won't be forever. Dortmund stuck in a bit of a battle. Bürki has made a big save and Alcacer fired over but it has been sparse. The game, as they say, could do with a goal.
40' The battle in Dortmund continues. It's tough work even creating a chance at the moment. Could be a one-goal game.
38' Really end-to-end game in Freiburg. Höler tests Ulreich at the end of another great counter. Then Bayern nearly score again but the final cross to Kingsley Coman is just short. Free header otherwise...
31' Wolfsburg are growing into the contest after that strong start by Dortmund. Dutchman Wout Weghorst cuts inside and lets fly, and Roman Bürki is forced into a fine one-handed save to keep it out. Dortmund finding themselves under pressure for the last few minutes.
22' GOAL! 1-1 Bayern Munich (Lewandowski) Cleared, blocked, but then Bayern get through. Goretzka lifts in back in the box, Lewandowski controls it in the air as he turns and then fires into the far corner before the ball drops. Lovely goal. That's 199 in the Bundesliga now for the Pole.
20' In Dortmund, the hosts are dominating but struggling to make the breakthrough against a well drilled Wolfsburg side. The home team just went close through Paco Alcacer, who was set up by a low cross from Mario Götze on the right, but the Spaniard fied just over.
18' CHANCE! Jerome Boateng clears off the line to deny Mike Frantz at the end of a great Freiburg counterattack! Wow!
17' There might have been little of note on the pitch in Dortmund, but this pre-game choreo is pretty amazing.
12' Bayern looked rattled early, but working their way back into it now - like they do. A slick passing move sees Thomas Müller cross the ball just beyond Robert Lewandowski. Feels like an equalizer is coming... Still a very slow start in Dortmund. It's even, but neither side has really threatened. Patience from Lucien Favre.
5' Wow! Leon Goretzka nearly equalizes immediately when he swings a leg at a bouncing ball outside the box. Just wide! Then Hummels is booked for a late grab. Freiburg look up for it. Slower start over in Dortmund, but as it stands they are top of the table by one point.
3' GOAL! 1-0 Freiburg! Drama! What drama in the Freiburg sunshine! The home side work it well, go left and a cross is hung up by Christian Günter for Lucas Höler. The striker beats Mats Hummels in the air and heads perfectly into the far corner. What a goal! What a start!
1' The touchline is visible in Freiburg and so off we go there too! Is today the day one of the leading two slips up? Time to find out.
1' We are underway in Dortmund, but Bayern are still waiting to start as the pre-game confetti from the Freiburg fans is cleared off the pitch.
15:28 It is a beautiful day for it!
- BAYERN TEAM! Bayern are without Manuel Neuer (calf) and David Alaba (thigh) today, but aim to keep their incredible league form going. They have won nine of their last 10. Ulreich returns in goal and Rafinha moves in at left back. Otherwise, it's a fairly formidable team. Freiburg know they can't concede early, but with Vincenzo Grifo they always pose a threat from set-pieces. Plus, 21-year-old Keven Schlotterbeck is hoping to impress in just his third Bundesliga game (what a name by the way).
Bayern XI: Ulreich - Rafinha, Hummels, Boateng, Kimmich - Thiago - Goretzka, James - Coman, Müller - Lewandowski
Freiburg XI: Schwolow - Gunter, Heintz, Schlotterbeck, Stenzel - Abrashi, Höfler - Grifo, Haberer, Frantz - Höler
- DORTMUND TEAM! BVB will be without Marco Reus today, as he joins his girlfriend in hospital as the pair expect their first child. There are things that are much more important than football. That leaves the Dortmund team looking as follows, with Manuel Akanji as captain. Their bench is thin of attacking options, but it's the defense that will perhaps be more important today as they attempt to stop scoring sensation Wout Weghorst (12 goals).
Dortmund XI: Bürki - Wolf, Akanji, Zagadou, Diallo - Witsel, Delaney - Sancho, Götze, Guerreiro - Alcacer
Wolfsburg XI: Casteels - Roussillon, Brooks, Knoche, William - Guilavogui - Arnold, Gerhardt - Klaus, Weghorst, Mehmedi.
- Eight games left. 60 points each. Seven goals difference. The Bundesliga title race this season is sensational. It's so good, you can't keep your eyes off it. Today, Borussia Dortmund host Wolfsburg and Bayern are in Freiburg. We'll keep you updated on all that goes on in both games.