Dortmund (Germany) (AFP)

A goal by Erling Haaland at the end of additional time gave Borussia Dortmund the victory in Düsseldorf on Saturday, and will force Bayern Munich to wait a few more days to clinch their eighth consecutive title of German champion, even if they win at 6.30 p.m. (4.30 p.m. GMT) at home against Mönchengladbach.

Borussia, who vacillated for a long time (two shots on the posts of Düsseldorf), was once again saved by his Norwegian prodigy of 19 years, who scored from the head at 20 seconds of the final whistle (1-0, 90 + 5).

The Yellow and Black, second in the standings, temporarily come back four points behind the Bavarians, who have a difficult match to negotiate against M'Gladbach. Marcus Thuram and his teammates indeed complete a remarkable season and cling to their fourth place, which offers a ticket to the Champions League 2020-2021.

The reception of Mönchengladbach will be all the more complicated as the top scorer of the championship Robert Lewandowski (30 goals) and his accomplice Thomas Müller (7 goals, 20 assists) are suspended, after having bailed both last week a fifth yellow card in the Bundesliga.

But if he wins, Bayern will only be one title victory, the 30th in its history. The case could be closed on Tuesday evening (32nd day) on the road to Bremen, the penultimate and relegation.

Dortmund, who let their title chances slip by losing the "Klassiker" at home (1-0) at the end of May, wanted above all to consolidate their second place, while maintaining (light) pressure on Bayern.

- Fear match -

Dortmund coach Lucien Favre did not start Haaland, who just returned to the group after a two-week hiatus from a knee injury. The Norwegian only entered at game time.

Significantly superior at the start, the Borussia monopolized the ball, and created several opportunities in the first period. In the 18th minute, Achraf Hakimi failed alone in front of the goalkeeper, spoiling an ideal 3 to 2 counter situation.

But Düsseldorf resisted and gained confidence over the minutes. At the end of the match, Dortmund broke the humiliation when Steven Skrzybski hit the post twice, once to the left, once to the right of the Swiss international goalkeeper Roman Bürki, who had already saved his team by spectacular parades.

In other games, Bremen won 5-1 in the "fear match" between the last two, at Paderborn, and can continue to dream of staying in extremis.

Monument of German football, present almost without interruption since the creation of the Bundesliga in 1963 (56 seasons out of 57 in the elite), but today on the brink of the abyss, the Werder did not do in detail: he led 3-0 at break (Davy Klaassen, 20th and 39th, and Yuya Osako, 34th). First time this season that he scored more than one goal in the same period.

He continued his momentum in the second period by Maximilian Eggestein (59th) and Niclas Füllkrug (90th).

This former rival of Bayern at the top of German football from 1980 to 2010 is still 17th and relegated, but now on equal points (28) with Düsseldorf, 16th and potential barragiste.

Results of the 31st day:

Friday

Hoffenheim - RB Leipzig 0 - 2

Saturday

Cologne - Union Berlin 1 - 2

Fortuna Dusseldorf - Dortmund 0 - 1

Wolfsburg - Friborg 2 - 2

SC Paderborn - Werder Bremen 1 - 5

Hertha Berlin - Eintracht Frankfurt 1 - 4

(4.30 p.m. GMT) Bayern Munich - Mönchengladbach

Sunday

(1.30 p.m. GMT) Mainz - Augsburg

(4:00 p.m. GMT) Schalke 04 - Bayer Leverkusen

© 2020 AFP