Late Reus winner sees BVB close gap on Bayern
Marco Reus struck a late winner as Borussia Dortmund closed the gap on Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich to a point with a 2-1 victory over Stuttgart.
Bayern's shock loss to Augsburg presented Dortmund with an opportunity to open up the title race, and it did just that.
The hosts burst out of the blocks, Reus flashing a free-kick just past the upright before Thorgan Hazard and Donyell Malen threatened with a pair of quick-fire headers early on.
Stuttgart responded through Philip Forster, who fired wide from inside the box, while Borna Sosa and Roberto Massimo made former team-mate Gregor Kobel work from distance.
Hazard sent an awkward volley wide and thrashed over from 20 yards, but the best opening of an entertaining first half fell the way of Stuttgart. Tanguy Coulibaly took on Orel Mangala's flicked header into the area, only to be thwarted by a brilliant save from Kobel.
Dortmund started the second half on the front foot as Reus whipped a free-kick into the arms of Florian Muller.
A sustained spell of pressure produced the opening goal and a first in the Bundesliga for Malen, whose shot from 18 yards deflected in off the sliding Hiroki Ito.
Stuttgart was not behind for long, though. After Manuel Akanji had conceded possession to Forster, the ball was helped on to Massimo, who stood up Mats Hummels on the edge of the area and curled the ball beyond Kobel.
Muller pushed a deflected Akanji strike on to the crossbar as the contest opened up, with Jude Bellingham firing the rebound over he bar on the rebound.
Reus sent a hurried attempt off target, but his next opening stuck. After setting up Hazard for a breakaway shot well saved by Muller, the Dortmund captain was on hand to turn in the follow-up and seal a huge win in the battle for the title.
