Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted his 17th Bundesliga goal of the season Saturday as Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 win over flu-hit RB Leipzig left Bayern Munich four points clear at the top.
Aubameyang remains two goals ahead of Bayern hot-shot Robert Lewandowski in the race to be the German league’s top scorer thanks to his superb first-half winner.
The Gabon striker headed home after teenage French winger Ousmane Dembele ghosted past two RB defenders down the right wing and crossed for Aubameyang to head home unmarked on 35 minutes.
Leipzig made Dortmund work for the win as Germany winger Marco Reus squandered two of Dortmund’s four clear second-half chances.
“We won the game, that’s what counts,” a relieved Reus told Sky.
“We put up a good fight, it was a very aggressive game and the win is okay.”
There was drama in added time as Leipzig sub Federico Palacios Martinez, making his Bundesliga debut, put the ball in Dortmund’s net, but was flagged for a marginal offside.
Leipzig struggled without top-scorer Timo Werner, midfielder Diego Demme and striker Marcel Sabitzer, who all have flu, while playmaker Emil Forsberg was suspended.
The result lifted Dortmund from seventh to third, eight points behind Leipzig, who are four adrift of Bayern after Carlo Ancelotti’s Bavarians had earlier drawn 1-1 with Schalke in Munich.
Lewandowski’s deft chip gave Bayern an early lead at the Allianz Arena before Schalke defender Naldo drilled home a free-kick on 13 minutes to level.
Captain Philipp Lahm made his 500th appearance for Bayern, who had to work for their point.
“It was a tough game because Schalke played well,” said Ancelotti.
“We started well, but were not so compact and our lines between the midfield and defence were too far apart from one another.
“We could only increase the pressure slightly at the end, but it was not enough.”
Bayern made a bright start by taking the lead after nine minutes.
Arturo Vidal threaded a pass to Lewandowski and the Poland striker lifted his shot over Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann.
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