Leverkusen's goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky (L) vies with Ermedin Demirovic (C) of Augsburg during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Augsburg, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
BERLIN, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Borussia Dortmund returned to winning ways after beating last-placed Darmstadt 3-0, while leaders Bayer Leverkusen snatched a last-gasp 1-0 win over resilient Augsburg to keep Bayern at bay in the Bundesliga 17th round on Saturday.
Dortmund took the reins from the kickoff but had problems finding gaps in Darmstadt's well-positioned defense.
The visitors had to wait until the 20th minute when Julian Brandt created the first noteworthy chance after testing Darmstadt goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen from close range following a cross into the box.
Schuhen was hapless though four minutes later when Jamie Bynoe-Gittens' good build-up work allowed Brandt to break the deadlock.
The BVB controlled the proceedings but failed to widen the gap in the first half.
The hosts had the chance to stun Dortmund at the hour mark when Luca Pfeiffer had all the time and space to head home but Dortmund custodian Gregor Kobel was on guard.
Dortmund piled on the pressure and made it two in the 77th minute when new arrival Jadon Sancho set up for Marco Reus, who tapped home the square pass from the central position.
Darmstadt's resilience was broken and the visitors tripled its lead through Youssoufa Moukoko, who drilled the ball from 16 meters into the roof of the net in the dying seconds.
With the result, Dortmund stay in the top five while Darmstadt remain on the last spot of the standings.
"It was extremely important that we won this game today. Not everything worked, but a lot worked and we know there is still a lot of work ahead of us," said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen maintain their four-point advantage atop the table after seeing off Augsburg 1-0 thanks to the injury time winner from Exequiel Palacios.
Struggling Cologne remain in the drop zone after giving away their narrow lead and sharing the spoils with Heidenheim at 1-1.
Mainz secured a 1-1 stalemate with Wolfsburg to clinch vital points for the relegation battle.
Eintracht Frankfurt shocked fourth-placed Leipzig 1-0, and Freiburg played out a goalless draw with Union Berlin. ■
Jeremie Frimpong (front) of Leverkusen vies with Robert Gumny of Augsburg during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Augsburg, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
Jeremie Frimpong (L) of Leverkusen vies with Iago Amaral Borduchi (front R) of Augsburg during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Augsburg, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
Jonas Hofmann (R) of Leverkusen vies with Ermedin Demirovic of Augsburg during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Augsburg, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
Exequiel Palacios (2nd R) of Leverkusen celebrates scoring with his teammates during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Augsburg, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
Anthony Caci (R) of FSV Mainz 05 vies with Vaclav Cerny of VfL Wolfsburg during the first division of Bundesliga match between FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg in Mainz, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)
Sepp Van Den Berg (R, front) of FSV Mainz 05 vies with Lovro Majer (L, front) of VfL Wolfsburg during the first division of Bundesliga match between FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg in Mainz, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)
Dominik Kohr (L) of FSV Mainz 05 vies with Lovro Majer of VfL Wolfsburg during the first division of Bundesliga match between FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg in Mainz, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)
Jonas Wind (C) of VfL Wolfsburg prepares to shoot during the first division of Bundesliga match between FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg in Mainz, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)
Vaclav Cerny (R) of VfL Wolfsburg celebrates after scoring during the first division of Bundesliga match between FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg in Mainz, Germany, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)
