Bold Bayern take 'big step forward'
They lead Dortmund by 7pts after Kimmich's winner and are a shoo-in for 8th-straight title
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Knowing Roman Burki often stands way off his goal line, this chip by Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich (not in picture) goes over the Dortmund goalkeeper for the only goal of the game. While the scorer called it "the best goal of my career", teammate Thomas Muller quipped that the Swiss could not reach the ball because his arms are short.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
DORTMUND • No team has let a seven-point lead slip at this stage of the Bundesliga season and when the leaders are Bayern Munich, winners of the past seven league titles, it is no wonder Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre was so deflated at the full-time whistle.
The visitors came away from the Westfalenstadion after a 1-0 win in "Der Klassiker" - the showpiece fixture of the German football calendar - on Wednesday night, putting them in the box seat with just six games left to play.
Joshua Kimmich settled an edgy affair behind closed doors with a deft chip over Roman Burki two minutes before the interval, leaving Bayern coach Hansi Flick thrilled with the "big step forward".
The 55-year-old, who took over in November after predecessor Niko Kovac was sacked, said: "It was an important win.
"Will I win my first coaching title? I'm not a man who reads too much into the future. I'm very happy with the team's performance; focused, attentive, bold."
Nowhere was this more apparent than their game plan, with Bayern forward Thomas Muller revealing that they had done their homework on the hosts, targeting Burki's weak spot.
He said: "Roman is a great 'keeper, but one of his strengths is that he is maybe one or two steps outside his goal because maybe he has not got the longest arms... Joshua saw that.
"This game is maybe the decider and we won it. It's a great feeling."
Fellow German international Kimmich agreed, claiming that his winner had dealt Dortmund a near fatal blow in the title race.
"We knew Burki always stands well in front of his goal," he added. "It's the best goal of my career and a very important one.
"Everyone knew how important those three points were, and now we have a comfortable lead. It's going to be mentally difficult for Dortmund, although we still have to confirm things in the next few games too."
10 "Der Klassiker" league wins in 16 games for Bayern since 2012-13 season, with three draws.
While Bayern have an arguably tougher run-in against top-four hopefuls Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach, Dortmund need to travel to Champions League quarter-finalists RB Leipzig and it is hard to see the Bavarian giants dropping too many points from now till the end of the season.
As such, the 62-year-old Favre had to fend off questions about whether he is the reason why his side is on the verge of falling short in the title race for the second straight season. They squandered a nine-point lead last year.
Admitting the league was out of his hands, the Swiss said: "It will be very difficult in the title race. Seven points behind with six games, that will be brutally difficult.
"Of course, everyone knows that we miss the fans."
Defender Mats Hummels, who won three straight championships with Bayern before returning for his second spell at Dortmund last term, added: "I guess this result tells us all other teams are out of the race."
With Flick's men enjoying a superior goal difference of 13, essentially stretching the gap over Dortmund to eight points, pundits also believe that the title race is done.
Former Bayern skipper Lothar Matthaus said: "This goal (by Kimmich) has decided the destination of this season's title."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, XINHUA
