A second-half objective from Alex Grimaldo despatched Bayer Leverkusen to a 1-0 house win over Mainz, closing the hole with league leaders Bayern Munich to 1 level. Borussia Dortmund’s struggles within the league continued with a 4-2 loss at Holstein Kiel earlier on Tuesday, elevating the warmth on under-fire coach Nuri Sahin. In Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso’s defending champions have been dominant in opposition to an in-form Mainz however have been held at bay till Grimaldo produced a surprising free-kick after 48 minutes. The Spain defender lifted the shot over the Mainz wall and past the outstretched palm of Robin Zentner, his twelfth objective on his fiftieth Bundesliga look.
“He does that all the time, additionally in coaching — it wasn’t a shock,” Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick mentioned of Grimaldo’s strike.
Florian Wirtz, who received the free-kick, together with Nathan Tella and Jeremie Frimpong all had late possibilities saved.
Leverkusen’s tenth straight win in all competitions moved them to 38 factors and handed down the gauntlet to Bayern, who face Hoffenheim at house on Wednesday.
Mainz, who misplaced coach Bo Henriksen to 2 successive yellow playing cards for backchat in stoppage time, keep in fifth regardless of the loss.
Eintracht Frankfurt placed on a second-half show to beat Freiburg 4-1 at house, with Omar Marmoush once more getting on the scoresheet.
Marmoush, closely linked with a winter transfer to Manchester City, scored Frankfurt’s second, whereas Robin Koch, Hugo Ekitike and Nnamdi Collins all obtained on the scoresheet for the third-placed house facet.
Sahin feeling the warmth
Dortmund have been closely favoured in opposition to their promoted opponents, who sit second-last within the desk, however have been overrun as Kiel scored three objectives in 22 first-half minutes.
Shuto Machino, Phil Harres and Alexander Bernhardsson discovered the online to have Kiel up by three at half-time.
Dortmund’s Gio Reyna and Jamie Gittens scored within the second half however the guests couldn’t pull off an unlikely comeback, with Jann-Fiete Arp scoring Kiel’s fourth in stoppage time.
Captain Emre Can mentioned Dortmund’s woes have been “nothing to do with the coach — we as gamers are accountable”.
“With all due respect to Kiel, we will not play like that. It’s a matter of honour,” the 31-year-old added.
Kiel have now received two of their final three to spice up their possibilities of avoiding a direct relegation.
With half the season performed, Dortmund sit ninth, 14 factors behind league leaders Bayern.
Questions will proceed to be requested of coach Sahin, who changed Edin Terzic in the summertime, regardless of the latter taking Dortmund to the Champions League remaining in June.
With want-away ahead Donyell Malen becoming a member of Aston Villa simply an hour earlier than kick-off, Sahin handed teenage ahead Julien Duranville a beginning XI debut.
In chilly, foggy situations on Germany’s northern coast, Dortmund dominated possession for a lot of the primary half-hour, however have been unable to interrupt via the dogged hosts.
With 27 minutes gone, Kiel pressured Julian Brandt into an error close to his personal penalty field, Bernhardsson then discovered Machino who blasted within the opener.
Harres, a fourth-division participant this time final season, doubled Kiel’s lead with a intelligent header on the counter shortly afterwards.
Kiel hit a 3rd simply earlier than half-time, Bernhardsson tapping in a Harres cross to have Dortmund reeling.
Despite objectives by Reyna and Gittens inside the ultimate 20 minutes, Dortmund have been unable to discover a leveller, whilst Kiel’s Lewis Holtby was purple carded with 4 minutes remaining.
Local boy Arp then struck within the eighth minute of stoppage time to seal a well-known Kiel win.
Elsewhere, Wolfsburg thumped Borussia Moenchengladbach 5-1 at house, with Lukas Nmecha scoring two objectives in 4 second-half minutes.
The Wolves, cruising below former Southampton and RB Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuettl, have now received six of their final eight to take a seat in sixth.
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