Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer grabbed the goals as Borussia Dortmund opened up a seven-point lead on defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich after twice coming from behind to win a compelling Klassiker at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
Bayern started with ominous intent, but the first real opening of a breathtaking first half fell the way of Dortmund. Reus capitalised on Mats Hummels’ hesitancy and raced through on the Bayern goal, only to fire tamely at the advancing Manuel Neuer. Jacob Bruun Larsen burst in behind the Bayern defence moments later, but his cross was picked off by Neuer with Klassiker debutant Jadon Sancho waiting to pounce. Bayern’s riposte was swift as Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji put in a goal-saving challenge on Serge Gnabry, before Lewandowski powered in a diving header from Gnabry’s cross to give the defending champions the lead.
The pendulum swung again at the start of the second half when Reus scampered through and drew the foul of Neuer. Match referee Manuel Gräfe pointed straight to the penalty spot, and Reus duly dusted himself off to dispatch with aplomb to bring Dortmund level. Parity lasted less than three minutes, though, with Lewandowski heading in from Gnabry with his second of the night. He would have had a third but for the linesman’s flag, and it proved a key moment of a rip-roaring contest.
Dortmund roared back as they have so often this season as Reus expertly volleyed in Lukas Piszczek’s fine ball for 2-2. Having already seen an effort cleared off the line, substitute Alcacer got in on the act to cap a blistering counter assisted by Axel Witsel put BVB ahead for the first time. Lewandowski thought he’d rescued a point in added time, but the goal was chalked off for another offside decision as the whistle blew on one of the most absorbing Bundesliga games in living memory.
