DORTMUND, Germany (AP) – Borussia Dortmund beat Mainz 4-0 on Friday, extending their unbeaten run in the league to 15 games and closing the gap on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to three points.
As a result, Dortmund, who will face Werder Bremen on Saturday, are now three points behind Bayern, thanks to three headers in the first half.
Despite their poor run in Europe, Dortmund are a strong team in the Bundesliga and come into the match having won their last five games. They showed exactly why by dominating Mainz from the kick-off.
Nine minutes later, Selhoun Guirassy scored a perfect header from a free-kick on the right to give Dortmund victory, and six minutes later it was 2-0.
The damage was done again with a cross from the right and a header, with Maximilian Baier meeting Ryerson’s shot at the far post.
Guirassy capped a near-perfect first half with a header near the goal line to make it 3-0 just before halftime.
Dortmund were able to ease off the gas in the second half, but there was still time for Ramy Bensebaini to score their fourth goal with nine minutes remaining when he forced a corner kick into the goal.
It was a rude awakening for a Mainz side who in recent weeks seemed to have forgotten their early season struggles.
Last weekend’s win against Augsburg lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time since September. Friday’s defeat leaves them in 14th place, four points above the drop zone, but just two behind Wolfsburg and Werder, who have games remaining.
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