DORTMUND: Champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past hosts Borussia Dortmund 3-2 with two goals from Patrik Schick on Friday to close gap on leaders Bayern Munich with a sixth straight league win.

In a frenetic opening the visitors struck three times in the first 19 minutes as they enjoyed a perfect start to the year with the league resuming following a three-week winter break.

“I’ll be honest, we’re not looking at Bayern, we’re focused on ourselves and we’re on the right track,” Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka told DAZN.

Dortmund, who twice cut the deficit, had fielded a largely makeshift team due to flu and injuries in what was their first home loss of the season.

A last-minute backline had to be cobbled together after defenders Waldemar Anton, Emre Can, Ramy Bensebaini and Nico Schlotterbeck were all ruled out along with long-time injured Niklas Sule.

It showed instantly with Leverkusen winning possession after some high pressing and Nathan Tella completing the move to give the visitors the lead after 25 seconds.

Dortmund had no time to regroup with Leverkusen scoring again in the eighth minute and striker Schick sliding in to complete a textbook counter-attack.

The hosts briefly recovered and pulled a goal back through Jamie Gittens four minutes later but Schick restored Leverkusen’s two-goal cushion in the 19th with a fine finish at the far post after yet another quick break.

“I expect my lads to defend better than that, even with the situation we have in defence,” Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin said.

Schick, who had also scored four times in the last game of the year against Freiburg on Dec 21, has now bagged 11 league goals this season.

“I work hard every day. I was of course ready when the chance came,” Schick said.“I want to give the max for the team and I’m happy I could help out with a couple of goals.”

The hosts hardly had any chances in the second half but were thrown a lifeline when Serhou Guirassy converted a 79th minute penalty.

Leverkusen survived late Dortmund pressure thanks mainly to some superb defending by Edmond Tapsoba and Piero Hincapie, to hold on and stay second with 35 points. Dortmund’s first home loss of the campaign kept them anchored in sixth on 25 points.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2025