Wirtz has Leverkusen on Bayern's heels to dream title repeat

MUNICH, Germany — Florian Wirtz scored twice as Bundesliga champion Bayer Leverkusen beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1 on Saturday to stay four points behind leader Bayern Munich.

Bayern had gone seven clear with a 3-2 win over Wolfsburg earlier on in the day, throwing down the gauntlet, but Leverkusen was dominant and controlled, notching its 11th straight win in all competitions.

"We're right in the middle of a title fight again — you can dream a little bit," Wirtz told Sky Germany.

With 32 minutes gone, Leverkusen enforcer Granit Xhaka won the ball in midfield and fed Wirtz, who beat a defender and slotted calmly home.

When Leverkusen won a penalty for handball midway through the second half, the 21-year-old Wirtz stepped up and converted.

Patrik Schick latched onto a Wirtz pass to score Leverkusen's third, his 12th goal in his past eight league games.

"I love playing against Gladbach," said Wirtz, who also scored a brace against Gladbach in August.

He now has nine goals and eight assists in 18 league games this season.

Gladbach's Tim Kleindienst scored a consolation goal in stoppage time.

Having broken Bayern's 11-year title streak last campaign, Leverkusen eliminated the Bavarians from the German Cup this season. The two sides meet in Leverkusen in mid-February.

The only negative for Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, who travels to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League midweek, was the loss of Martin Terrier, who was taken from the field with what looked like a serious ankle injury.

Earlier on Saturday, Leon Goretzka scored twice in Bayern's home win over Wolfsburg.

Goretzka, who has been revived under Bayern coach Vincent Kompany this season, cut a superb low shot across the goal to open the scoring 20 minutes in.

Wolfsburg hit back against the run of play with a simple Mohammed Amoura goal shortly afterward.

The Bavarian giant wrestled back control of the game before halftime as Michael Olise, in the starting XI ahead of the recovering Jamal Musiala, finished off a fluent team move.

Goretzka then added his second on the 62nd-minute mark, heading in an Olise freekick.

Amoura scored with two minutes left to give Wolfsburg hope, but the visiting side was unable to break through and remains winless in 32 games against Bayern in Munich, 30 of which have been defeats.

"Leon worked hard and showed us in training that he's hungry," Kompany said. "That he's playing well is a good story not just for Leon but for the team and the younger guys, who might be going through a difficult phase."

AFP