FREIBURG: An unsto­ppable 25-metres strike from defender Matthijs de Ligt handed Bayern Munich a 1-0 victory over Freiburg on Saturday, keeping them two points clear at the top of the table with seven games remaining.

Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 win over third-placed Union Berlin maintains the pressure on the perennial German champions’ bid for an 11th straight Bundesliga title.

The Bavarians, who face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg next week, had been beaten at home by Freiburg 2-1 in the DFB Pokal last eight on Tuesday.

Desperate to make amends and protect their Bundesliga lead, Bayern had possession and a couple of good chances in the first half.

But it was Freiburg who came closer to scoring with Ritsu Doan catching Bayern’s Alphonso Davies napping on the stroke of halftime but sending his effort onto the post.

It was De Ligt who took matters into his own hands after the interval, beating keeper Mark Flekken with his unstoppable missile into the top corner.The Bavarians lead the title race on 58 points, with Dortmund on 56 in second place.

A late goal from substitute Youssoufa Moukoko took Dortmund to a nervy victory over Union.

Dortmund took the lead midway through the first half, Malen poking in a Raphael Guerreiro cross from close range, his third goal in as many matches.

Union fought back in typical fashion, Kevin Behrens levelling the scores with the away side’s first shot on target.

Dortmund coach Edin Terzic brought on captain Marco Reus and teenage striker Moukoko with 15 minutes remaining and the two combined for a crucial goal in Dortmund’s bid to unseat Bayern as league champions.Union remained third with 51 points, three points ahead of RB Leipzig, who won 1-0 at Hertha Berlin to leapfrog Freiburg into fourth.

With the first half winding down, Leipzig’s French defender Mohamed Simakan rose high to meet a corner, with his scuffed shot falling at the feet of midfielder Amadou Haidara, who tapped home.

Leipzig wasted several chances but held on despite a late charge from Hertha.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen won 3-1 at home against Eintracht Frankfurt to leapfrog their opponents into sixth while goals from Ellyes Skhiri, Eric Martel and Linton Maina secured Cologne a 3-1 win at Augsburg.

Mainz’s late season run towards a Europa League place took a hit after a 2-2 home draw against Werder Bremen, with each side scoring twice in the final five minutes.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023