Bayern Munich were confirmed as German champions for the 31st time on Saturday and extended their record run of consecutive Bundesliga titles to nine after RB Leipzig lost 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern, who host Borussia Moenchengladbach later, top the table by seven points from second-placed Leipzig with only two games left for Leipzig.
Jadon Sancho scored twice, including a late winner which not only sealed the title for rivals Bayern but also boosted Dortmund’s Champions League hopes as they moved up to fourth – two points ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt who host Mainz on Sunday.
Third-placed Wolfsburg look well set to achieve their European dream after a 3-0 win over Union Berlin. Werder Bremen, who had lost seven straight in the league, drew 0-0 with sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim beat relegated Schalke 4-2 having been 2-0 down.
Second-bottom Cologne welcome Freiburg on Sunday when fellow relegation candidates Hertha Berlin and Arminia Bielefeld also meet. VfB Stuttgart beat struggling Augsburg 2-1 on Friday.
A well-worked move put Dortmund ahead early with Thorgan Hazard’s flick releasing Marco Reus who finished with aplomb.
Dortmund, without the injured Erling Haaland, thought they should have had a penalty for Kevin Kampl’s handball just before the break but appeals were waved away.
Sancho then made it 2-0 early in the second period when he fired home amid lax Leipzig defending.
Lukas Klostermann headed in a corner to reduce the deficit and out of nowhere it was suddenly 2-2 on 77 minutes through Leipzig’s Dani Olmo.
But Sancho was on fire and won it for Dortmund after another superb move on 87 minutes.
“In the second half we played well,” Klostermann told Sky. “We have to lift our heads up quickly, the next game is very important.”
Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann leaves for Bayern at the end of the season, but the 33-year-old can still sign off from Leipzig with some glory when his current side meet Dortmund again in the German Cup final on Thursday.
“Congratulations on a deserved title,” Nagelsmann said while grinning.
It is the second Bundesliga triumph for Bayern coach Hansi Flick who took over during last season but is departing amid disagreements with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and speculation linking him to the Germany job vacant after Euro 2020.
All but one of Bayern’s national titles have come in the Bundesliga era from 1963-64 and their current streak started with the league, German Cup and Champions League treble in 2013, a feat repeated under Flick in 2020.
Their dominant decade also included further German Cups in 2014, 2016 and 2019, and a handful of minor trophies.
Berlin (dpa)
