From the very outset, Die Roten looked every bit a potential invincible side in the making, as Joshua Kimmich tested Gregor Kobel from distance, before the Dortmund goalkeeper made a double stop of shots from Michael Olise and Luis Diaz.
But that was all just a preamble to Bayern’s opener, which they got on 22 minutes when Harry Kane rose highest to meet Kimmich’s corner at the near post and flick beyond the helpless Kobel.
A remarkable 12th league goal of the campaign for Kane had the desired effect, and Bayern were hardly troubled by their rivals for the remainder of the half. But the restart brought about a roused Dortmund side, who went close when Felix Nmecha’s header bounced just past the post.
And Dortmund’s clearest chance yet came soon after that, when Karim Adeyemi found himself in space in the area, but he slipped while taking the shot and it sailed wide.
The visitors looked rightly frustrated that they had failed to take advantage of their momentum, and that may have contributed to their going two behind in disappointing fashion with 10 minutes remaining.
Jobe Bellingham initially did well to cut out Diaz’s cross, but he dwelled on it long enough in the six-yard box for Olise to slide in and prod into the net.
Niko Kovac responded with substitutions, which he would have wished he’d done sooner, as Julian Brandt almost immediately slashed the lead in half by diverting in Julian Ryerson’s cross.
That made for a frantic climax, but there was to be no dream equaliser for the away side. The result means that Dortmund have already slipped to seven points from Bayern.
Then again, Der BVB shouldn’t see this as a fatal blow, as they were nine behind much later in the 2022/23 campaign, when they went on to miss out on the title on goal difference alone. Clearly eager to keep their crown for as long as possible, Bayern remain the side with the longest unbeaten record in Europe’s big-five leagues, while also ending a three-match winless run against Die Schwarzgelben.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
