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Dortmund down Freiburg to stay on heels of Bayern

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Berlin: Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus, Mario Goetze and Paco Alcacer from the penalty spot gave Borussia Dortmund a 4-0 win on Sunday at Freiburg as Lucien Favre’s side moved back to within a point of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.


Reus set up Sancho in the 12th minute, was on target himself in the 54th on a pass from Raphael Guerreiro, and provided the final pass for Goetze to make it three in the 79th minute.


That was Goetze’s last involvement, the midfielder replaced by Alcacer who after a handball from Pascal Stenzel wrapped up the scoring with a firmly-taken penalty three minutes from time.


Champions Bayern had gone four points clear at the top on 70 points with a 1-0 defeat of Werder Bremen on Saturday.


With four matches remaining, Dortmund, on 69 points, are eight points clear of RB Leipzig, and next face Schalke in the Ruhr derby.


“We were very efficient today,” Favre said. “In the end it was 4-0 for us but that’s very hard on the opponents.


“We shouldn’t forget Freiburg pressured us after the first goal and had several chances. At 1-1 everything could have changed. It was very difficult here.”


Reus told Sky Sports: “We want to keep the pressure on Bayern until the end and we have managed it again today.


“It was important for us to get the early goal because we have been a little bit uncertain in the past few weeks.


“We have to regenerate the next couple of days and then get ready for the derby. That won’t be a normal game, we know that, but we are playing at home and have gained in confidence.”


Goetze said: “It’s good to win 4-0 here. In the end, it was commanding, but it was a tough job for a long time.


“The first goal did us a lot and provided security. If it had been0-0 for a longer time, it would have been more difficult. It was important to get the second and third goals.”


The win has given Dortmund a 16th game against Freiburg without defeat, matching a club record against Nuremberg.


It was meanwhile a third straight defeat for Freiburg, who have gone five games without a win and remain 13th, not entirely out of relegation danger.


However with four games remaining, Christian Streich’s side are 11points clear of Stuttgart, who currently occupy the relegation play-off place.


“We tried to play football and also managed this. But we know about Dortmund’s qualities if they have space in our half,” Streich said.


“Dortmund were very efficient, we weren’t efficient at all. That’s why we have lost three games in a row.”


Hanover ended a run of eight consecutive defeats by earning a goalless draw at Hertha Berlin, but the point does little in their fight to avoid relegation. They stay bottom on 15 points, three points adrift of Nuremberg and six behind Stuttgart. — dpa


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