BERLIN: Leon Goretzka scored late for Bayern Munich to take another step closer to a record-extending eighth straight Bundesliga title after beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

Teenage striker Joshua Zirkzee put Bayern ahead before Benjamin Pavard’s own goal levelled for Gladbach, but Goretzka netted his third goal in five league games with four minutes remaining.

Even without the suspended Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller, Bayern earned their 13th straight win in all competitions to re-establish their seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table with three matches left.

Victory at relegation-threatened Werder Bremen on Tuesday will confirm Bayern as German champions for the 30th time in Hansi Flick’s first season in charge.

I’m happy that the team got the job done with some hard work — those were three important, ‘big’ points,” said Flick.

Second-placed Dortmund had earlier trimmed Bayern’s lead to four points when Erling Braut Haaland’s last-gasp header grabbed a dramatic 1-0 win at Fortuna Duesseldorf.

Bayern’s opener was set up by Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the 26th when he passed straight to Zirkzee, who gratefully returned the ball to the unguarded net.

Gladbach had been the better side. Jonas Hofmann had a goal ruled out through VAR for offside, and Manuel Neuer denied Breel Embolo, who also missed the rebound.

But the visitors regrouped and equalized through Pavard’s own goal in the 37th. The French defender tried to stop Patrick Herrmann’s cross from reaching Hofmann at the back post but couldnt help deflecting it past Neuer.

Both sides had second-half chances, but Goretzka settled matters when he fired inside the far post after being picked out by Pavard.

Bayerns title celebrations were put on ice earlier after Haaland scored in the fifth minute of injury time in Duesseldorf.

Dortmund laboured for long periods with Achraf Hakimi missing the visitors biggest chance in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier, who also had little difficulty dealing with Julian Brandt’s effort.

Dortmund had endured a nervous final 10 minutes as Duesseldorf substitute Steven Skrzybski twice hit the post and fired wide.

But it was to be another substitute, the 19-year-old Haaland, who powered home a header from Manuel Akanji’s cross to ensure Lucien Favre’s side qualified for next season’s Champions League.

It’s a bit of a lucky thing that we were able to walk away with the win today,” admitted Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki.

Duesseldorf, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, are now only ahead of second-bottom Werder Bremen on goal difference following their 5-1 thumping of Paderborn.

Bremen, who have spent more seasons in the Bundesliga than any other club, responded to back-to-back home defeats with an emphatic away victory in pouring rain as Davy Klaassen netted either side of a goal by Japanese forward Yuya Osako in the first half.

Maximilian Eggestein made it four with only an hour gone, after Bremen forward Milot Rashica also had a penalty saved, before Abdelhamid Sabiri scored a consolation for rock-bottom Paderborn.

Bremen substitute Niclas Fuellkrug capped a fairytale return from a serious knee injury when he slotted home the fifth goal late on.

Paderborn are now mathematically certain to finish in the bottom three.

Ten-man Hertha Berlin suffered a 4-1 thrashing at home by Eintracht Frankfurt after defender Dedryck Boyata was sent off on the stroke of half-time for bringing down Bas Dost.

Krzysztof Piatek gave Hertha an early lead, but Frankfurt roared back with a goal from Dost, two from Portuguese forward Andre Silva and one for French defender Evan N’Dicka.

Freiburg came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at VfL Wolfsburg in a game which saw the hosts’ striker Wout Weghorst have two goals disallowed by VAR.

Union Berlin pulled away from the relegation places with their first victory since February, winning 2-1 at Cologne.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2020