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Kimmich's Chip Gives Bayern Win Over Dortmund, Control of Bundesliga Race

Watch all the key plays as Dortmund hosts Bayern Munich in a battle of the Bundesliga's top two clubs.

Avi Creditor

Bayern Munich went into enemy territory and emerged with full control of the Bundesliga title race.

Joshua Kimmich's chip in the 43rd minute was the difference, as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 1-0 at an empty Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday to go seven points clear in the table with six games to play.

Both teams had been perfect since the Bundesliga restarted from its coronavirus-induced shutdown. Bayern beat Union Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt, while Dortmund downed Revierderby rival Schalke and Wolfsburg to keep pace and remain within four points entering the day. A home win would've narrowed the gap to one and set up a furious finish to the end of the suspended season. Instead, Bayern Munich is in command and that much closer to an eighth straight title.

Dortmund threatened in the opening minute, with Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer forced to race off his line to win a through ball. His clearance was hit off Alphonso Davies to Erling Haaland, who fired through Neuer's legs and toward the vacated net but had his chance cleared off the line by Jerome Boateng, who had recovered in time after being beaten on the initial defense-splitting pass.

Dortmund kept up the early pressure with Julian Brandt curling a ball from long range on frame, only for Neuer to make the straightforward save. Neuer was forced into another save in the 10th minute, parrying another chance from Haaland, and Dortmund had a goal on the ensuing rebound called off correctly for offside.

Bayern's first threat on goal came in the 12th minute, with Kimmich curling a ball forward for Thomas Muller, but the veteran German couldn't quite get his head to it, and it fell harmlessly at the feet of Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.

Serge Gnabry forced a goal-line clearance of his own in the 19th minute, beating Burki with a tight-angled shot but not defender Lukasz Piszczek, who back-heeled the chance away to safety.

Davies repeatedly showed off his wheels, no instance more vital than in the 32nd minute, when Haaland got in behind the defense. The Bayern left back's recovery speed was immense, as he caught up to Haaland in time to take the ball off his foot and disarm the threat.

Bayern wound up taking the lead just before halftime in sensational fashion. Kimmich was able to chip Burki from 20 yards on a play that perhaps called the goalkeeper's positioning into question but goes in the books as a gorgeous goal to give the league leader the 1-0 edge.

Burki kept things at 1-0 with a strong save in the 54th minute, as Leon Goretzka ripped a low shot on frame, only for the Swiss backstop to parry it wide.

Dortmund had a golden chance to pull even in the 58th minute. Boateng slipped as Haaland received the ball in the center of the box, and the Norwegian's rip appeared to ping off the back of Boateng's extended tricep before going wide for a corner. There was no intervention by the video assistant referee, and Dortmund failed to capitalize off the ensuing set piece.

Dortmund suffered a setback in the 72nd minute, with Haaland limping off. He was replaced by 17-year-old American Gio Reyna, who stepped on in a big situation with Dortmund in need of a spark. Reyna tried to provide it a couple of minutes later, earning a free kick after Davies fouled him from behind with a sliding challenge. Raphael Guerreiro fired right into the waiting arms of Neuer, though, never really threatening the Bayern goal with the set-piece chance.

Neuer was forced into a tougher save by Mahmoud Dahoud in the 80th minute, with his 20-yard rip parried skyward by the Bayern goalkeeper.

Bayern went in search of breathing room, and it nearly came from Robert Lewandowski, who was uncharacteristically quiet on the day but rattled the left post with his blast from distance in the 83rd minute.

Dortmund couldn't take advantage with a late equalizer, though, leaving the match with plenty of work to do if there is to be a title race that goes down to the wire.

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Here were the lineups for both sides:

Both clubs have little time to rest before returning to action over the weekend, though they'll be going up against clubs fighting off relegation. Bayern hosts 16th-place Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday, while Dortmund heads to last-place Paderborn on Sunday.

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Avi Creditor
AVI CREDITOR

Avi Creditor is a senior editor and has covered soccer for more than a decade. He’s also a scrappy left back. 

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