DORTMUND — Top scorer Robert Lewandowski scored twice, including a second-half penalty, to guide the German champions to a crucial 3-2 victory at title rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday and a four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
The Pole opened his account in the ninth minute to level after Dortmund had taken an early lead through Julian Brandt, and then converted a 77th-minute spot kick to seal victory with his 16th goal of the campaign.
Kingsley Coman had put Bayern in front a minute before the break before Erling Haaland equalised for the hosts with a superbly curled effort in the 48th.
In an action-packed encounter Dortmund coach Marco Rose was sent off with a second booking for dissent following the penalty decision.
Bayern, chasing a record-extending 10th league crown, move up to 34 points with this sixth straight league win over their rivals, leaving Dortmund in second place on 30. Bayer Leverkusen are in third place on 27.
The game instantly lived up to its billing with Haaland charging through after two minutes and keeper Manuel Neuer clearing the ball just in time.
Brandt did it better a little later, peeling off his marker and thundering in for the lead.
Julian Brandt gives Dortmund the lead in the Der Klassiker! pic.twitter.com/rUwe0OxgqL
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
Bayern drew level four minutes later when defender Mats Hummels clumsily tried to clear a high ball before Thomas Müller got it but the ball fell for Lewandowski.
Lewandowski grabs the equalizer for Bayern right away!
What a game already pic.twitter.com/tgytGXinDL— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
In a hugely entertaining, end-to-end first half in front of a limited 15,000 crowd, both teams had their share of opportunities, with Haaland firing just wide on the half-hour mark and Coman twice coming close for the visitors.
The winger did get on the score sheet a minute before the break when after another sloppy Dortmund clearance the Frenchman fired in to beat keeper Gregor Kobel.
COMAN GIVES BAYERN THE LEAD OVER DORTMUND! pic.twitter.com/5YSghWGz1E
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
Three minutes after the restart it was Dortmund's turn to come back, with Jude Bellingham laying the ball off for Haaland on the left and the Norwegian bagging his 51st goal in his 51st Bundesliga match with a delightful curled shot into the top corner.
Erling Haaland in the Bundesliga:
51 games
51 goalsBuilt different pic.twitter.com/a9ORXEwORu
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
But a controversial handball decision following a lengthy VAR review allowed Lewandowski to score his second goal, despite Kobel getting his hands to it.
Lewandowski double in Der Klassiker pic.twitter.com/42lEs4BTJH
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
Jude Bellingham wasn't happy with the refereeing of Der Klassiker pic.twitter.com/GxUxZpP5QZ
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Alex Richardson and Clare Fallon)
