Bayern boost as Dortmund held at Augsburg

Thorgan Hazard of Borussia Dortmund is challenged by Reece Oxford of FC Augsburg during the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at WWK-Arena on February 27, 2022 in Augsburg, Germany.


Borussia Dortmund have been held to a 1-1 draw at Augsburg, meaning Bayern Munich's advantage at the top of the Bundesliga is now a commanding eight points.

Thorgan Hazard gave injury-hit Dortmund the lead on 35 minutes but fourth-bottom Augsburg deserved their leveller as Noah Sarenren Bazee headed in off the bar following a scramble on 78 minutes.

We didn't do everything right but we had a lot of control of the game, Dortmund coach Marco Rose told DAZN.

In the second half we lost a bit of energy.

Bayern had won 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday thanks to substitute Leroy Sane's winner.

Ten games remain this season with Bayern, going for a 10th straight title, hosting third-placed Bayer Leverkusen next weekend and Dortmund still to visit Munich in April.

In Sunday's other game, RB Leipzig continued their revival under Domenico Tedesco by moving back into fourth with a 1-0 win at mid-table Bochum, who twice hit the woodwork.

Dortmund have had a roller-coaster few weeks, looking turgid in their Europa League exit to Rangers but hammering Borussia Monchengladbach 6-0 last weekend.

Hazard's mazy run and goal was the one bit of pure class in Augsburg, with Donyell Malen also rattling the bar for a Dortmund side missing the injured Erling Haaland and Marco Reus.

Augsburg, with coach Markus Weinzierl returning from coronavirus, were always in the game and Sarenren Bazee's first league goal this term meant Hertha Berlin slipped into the relegation play-off spot on goal difference.

Leipzig substitute Christopher Nkunku netted on 82 minutes in Bochum with Champions League qualification in his side's own hands. They have a much better goal difference than Freiburg and Hoffenheim, who are also on 40 points.

The Red Bull-backed outfit, forced to travel to the Bochum match in taxis after the team bus had an accident, endured the worst first half to a Bundesliga campaign in club history.

But since Tedesco replaced the sacked Jesse Marsch in December, last term's runners-up have taken 22 points from a possible 30.

Leipzig now have a German Cup quarter-final on Wednesday at second division Hanover and are looking to go one better than 2019 and 2021 when they were Cup runners-up and finally win a first major trophy.

Tedesco's side have also drawn his former club Spartak Moscow in the Europa League last-16 later next month but whether the tie goes ahead amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine remains to be seen.

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