Mainz 0-1 Borussia Dortmund: Late Axel Witsel strike moves visitors within four points of leaders Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund closed the gap at the top of the Bundesliga table to four points as Axel Witsel scored late to hand the visitors a crucial 1-0 win at Mainz. Mainz’s physical approach looked like it would pay off and that they would extend their unbeaten home record to nine matches, but Witsel’s finish proved the difference, keeping Dortmund in the title race.

Ad/> It was an attritional first half in front of 25,000 fans inside Mewa Arena with Mainz not afraid to impose themselves physically. TransfersMan City to offer Haaland £500,000-per-week contract – Paper Round20 HOURS AGO Four yellow cards were issued, 13 fouls were committed and Dortmund produced one shot on target which was comfortably saved by Robin Zentner, who claimed Thorgan Hazard’s tame strike from a tight angle in the 22nd minute.

Dortmund looked more lively in attack when Erling Haaland was introduced in the 55th minute and one of their best chances fell to the Norwegian 14 minutes later, but his half-volley towards the bottom corner was excellently parried away by Zentner. Marco Rose’s side continued to pressure and finally found the breakthrough goal late on.

Witsel met Giovanni Reyna’s free-kick at the far post and scuffed his shot into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season. Substitute Julian Brandt fired just wide from close range in added time while Reyna forced Zentner into a smart save from a free-kick moments later, but it did not matter in the end as Dortmund saw out an important victory.