BERLIN, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Benefiting from Bayern Munich's loss, Borussia Dortmund ascended to the top of the standings with one round left, following a 3-0 victory over Augsburg on Sunday.
Sebastian Haller's double-goal performance was instrumental in the win, which marked the close of the Bundesliga 33rd round.
From the first whistle, Augsburg deployed a solid defence, proving to be a significant challenge for Dortmund.
Dominating possession, Dortmund, however, struggled to break through Augsburg's defensive barrier, particularly goalkeeper Tomas Koubek, during the initial 45 minutes. Koubek thwarted prime scoring opportunities from both Haller and Julian Brandt.
Augsburg faced a major blow 38 minutes into the match, when Felix Uduokhai was sent off the field for a professional foul on Donyell Malen.
Dortmund nearly took the lead with only five minutes left in the first half. However, a promising header from Niklas Sule was repelled by the crossbar.
Dortmund's persistent attacking effort finally paid off in the 58th minute. Haller pounced on a loose ball, sending it past Koubek and into the far corner of the net, putting Dortmund ahead on the scoreboard.
Despite being a player down, Augsburg rallied and almost equalized out of nowhere. Yet, neither substitute Irvin Cardona nor Mergim Berisha could manage to level the scores in the moments that quickly followed.
In the game's final stages, Dortmund shattered Augsburg's resolve. Marco Reus' attempt was deflected into the path of Haller, who secured his double and extended the lead in the 83rd minute.
Even after virtually securing victory, Dortmund continued to attack and netted a third goal in the last seconds of the match. Julian Brandt ruthlessly concluded Nico Schlotterbeck's counterattack.
With this win, Dortmund occupies the top spot with a two-point lead and one round remaining. With a triumph over Mainz on Saturday, Dortmund can secure their first Bundesliga title since 2012.
"We're not entirely finished. There's one more step we want to take together. We're not done yet. The season concludes in seven days," Dortmund coach Edin Terzic asserted.
In other matches, Stuttgart secured vital points in the relegation battle with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Mainz, while Bayer Leverkusen squandered a two-goal lead, resulting in a 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach. Enditem.
