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29 March 2024

Arsenal target Goetze sinks Bayern

Borussia Dortmund's Mario Goetze (right) scores during their German Bundesliga first division match against Bayern in Munich on Saturday. (REUTERS)

Published
By AFP

Teenage star Mario Goetze said German champions Borussia Dortmund are relishing their next matches against Arsenal and rivals Schalke after his goal sealed a 1-0 win at Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

The attempted suicide of German league ref Babak Rafati earlier in Cologne over-shadowed events in Munich, but there was no escaping Dortmund’s joy at the final whistle on Saturday night.

Defeat trims Bayern’s lead from five points back to just two and both second-placed Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach, third, are now hard on Munich’s heels on 26 points, compared to Bayern’s 28.

Dortmund must win at Arsenal on Wednesday to keep their Champions League dreams alive, then face arch-rivals Schalke in the German league next Saturday, but Goezte said his side have taken a huge boost.

“On the whole we can be happy, we managed to close them down,” said Goetze.

“Now we can look ahead with real optimism.

“It was a deserved victory, we only allowed them a few chances.”

Goetze hit the winner on 65 minutes after exchanging passes with Japan’s Shinji Kagawa and then getting the better of Bayern defender Jerome Boateng before firing home.

It was Bayern’s second home defeat of the season and after Dortmund won 3-1 in Munich in February, also the second time in 2011 they have lost to Borussia.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben started his first game for Bayern since groin surgery in October, but the hosts were frustrated.

Both Arsenal and Bayern have been strongly linked with Goetze in recent weeks, but the 19-year-old said he is going nowhere.

“I am a true Dortmunder and I am happy here, that is all that needs to be said,” he added.

With his team having won 19 points in their last seven games, from a total of 21, Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp said they deserved the victory.

“That was really good, really hard work,” said Klopp, who leapt into the air on the final whistle.

“You have to play like that if you want to pick up any points here.

“You don’t get anything by just playing at 95 per cent.”

Bayern host Villarreal on Tuesday in the Champions League and were left frustrated.

“When you play against Borussia Dortmund, you need to exert far more pressure,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.

“We didn’t understand that we had to keep the pace high, only in the final stages of the game did we create two clear scoring chances.

“It was not easy against Dortmund, but we didn’t do enough.”

Bayern captain Philipp Lahm rued his side’s missed opportunities.

“We were not in top shape, but we deserved at least a point,” he said.

“We are currently on eye level with Dortmund, but we missed a great opportunity to beat them.”