Germany prodigy Mario Götze condemned off-colour Bayern to their second home defeat of the season on Saturday evening in a top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash which failed to live up to its billing for long spells. Arjen Robben started for the men in red, but Jupp Heynckes’ side were constantly frustrated by surprisingly negative Dortmund, who made off with the points from Munich for the second season in a row.
The freezing fog swirling into the Allianz Arena seemed to throw a stifling blanket over the league’s top scoring sides in the opening 45 minutes, as the 69,000 full house saw a virtually chance-free first half laden with caution and mutual respect.
BVB starlet Götze opened the scoring after 65 minutes with a slightly fortuitous close-range prod after a mix-up in the Bayern defence, and although FCB threw the kitchen sink at the visitors after that, it was destined to be one of those days for Heynckes and his troops.
The result means FCB retain their lead at the top of the Bundesliga with 28 points from 13 matches, but the Reds are now only two points clear of Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach, and three ahead of Schalke. The Bavarians are next match in action this Tuesday with the potentially decisive Champions League meeting at home to struggling Villarreal, where a point would be enough to see FCB through to the last sixteen.
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