Jadon Sancho Opens Account for Dortmund, Dominant BVB Bolster UCL Hopes
Borussia Dortmund secured an impressive 4-0 win over fellow top-four contenders Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, with the result helping to lift some of the pressure that was mounting on manager Peter Stöger following their defeat in the Revierderby last week.
Jadon Sancho became the youngest Englishman to score in Bundesliga history with his goal early in the first half, while Marco Reus' brace, scored either side of Maxi Philipp's strike during the second 45 minutes, ensured all three points stayed at the Westfalenstadion.
Both sides were level on points heading into the game, and results elsewhere meant that Champions League qualification would be all but guaranteed for the winner.
But Leverkusen are now in danger of dropping out of the top four altogether with TSG Hoffenheim, who secured an incredible 5-2 win over RB Leipzig earlier in the day, sitting just two points behind the Die Werkself with three games remaining the season.
It was clear from the outset that both sides were set up to attack, but the first shot of the game didn't come until seven minutes in - which is late for Bundesliga standards.
Mario Götze saw a deflected effort sail over Ramazan Özcan's crossbar before the Leverkusen debutant saved a close-range effort from Sancho.
But minutes later the ball fell to the right foot of the former Manchester City winger from a similar position following a slip from Benjamin Henrichs, and Sancho made no mistake by smartly curling the ball just inside Özcan's far post.
Leverkusen began to grow frustrated at their lack of clear-cut opportunities as the half went on, often resorting to hopeful efforts from well outside the penalty area.
Dortmund thought that they had doubled their lead when Marco Reus fired a thunderous half-volley past Özcan, but a quick check from VAR left the referee with no choice but to rule the goal out for offside.
Reus should have found himself on the scoresheet shortly after when Leverkusen defender Panagiotis Retsos fouled Christian Pulisic inside the area. This time the Germany international scuffed his effort from the penalty spot and Özcan effortlessly made the save minutes before halftime.
Götze saw a goal-bound effort cleared off the line shortly after the restart, while Reus had a trademark long-range shot crash off the top of the crossbar.
Substitute Kai Havertz came close to bringing Bayer Leverkusen back on level terms but he couldn't trouble Roman Bürki with his effort. And Dortmund made the visitors pay for their missed opportunities through their biggest attacking threat, Reus.
The Germany international raced onto a through ball from Götze and the 28-year-old rounded Ramazan Özcan with ease before poking the ball into an empty net.
Maxi Philipp then added a third for Borussia Dortmund with a clinical strike just after the hour mark. The former Freiburg striker perfectly controlled a pass from Sancho before putting his laces through the ball to extend the hosts' healthy advantage.
And Dortmund still had one goal left in them before the full-time whistle. Marco Reus peeled away from Leverkusen's lackadaisical defense and he was left unmarked at the far post to head the ball into the back of the net.
The hosts held onto their lead and left Leverkusen feeding off scraps for the rest of the game, keeping a surprising clean sheet in the process. Dortmund will now be confident of qualifying for the Champions League next season, especially given their remaining Bundesliga fixtures against Werder Bremen, Mainz and Hoffenheim.
