Dortmund complete escape act to snatch UCL berth
Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates in Bundesliga match with Holstein Kiel. PHOTO: REUTERS
Borussia Dortmund will play Champions League football next season after a 3-0 home win over a 10-man Holstein Kiel on Saturday completed an incredible late-season run.
Sitting in 11th just seven weeks ago, Dortmund collected 22 of a possible 24 points in their last eight league matches, climbing up to fourth, past Freiburg who lost 3-1 at home against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Dortmund, who had not been in the top four since the end of matchday three in September, got off to an excellent start against their already relegated opponents when Serhou Guirassy converted a third-minute penalty.
Knowing they needed a big win to guarantee a top-four finish, Dortmund's hopes looked even rosier just six minutes later when Kiel's Carl Johansson saw red for a last-man foul.
Marcel Sabitzer added a second with a deflected low shot two minutes after halftime and Felix Nmecha made it three when he scored from close range with 73 minutes gone.
Dortmund will be joined in the Champions League by Frankfurt, who came from a goal down to win at Freiburg, qualifying for Europe's top competition through league placing for the first time.
Freiburg, who started the weekend in fourth and needed to win to guarantee a debut Champions League spot, took the lead after 27 minutes when Ritsu Doan volleyed in.
Frankfurt's Ansgar Knauff did his former club Dortmund a favour when he levelled things up just before halftime.
Frankfurt added two goals in three second-half minutes through Rasmus Kristensen and Ellyes Skhiri to grab hold of the match and their Champions League fate.
Freiburg fell to fifth and will play in the Europa League next season; they will be joined in the competition by the winner of the German Cup final between Stuttgart and third-flight Arminia Bielefeld.
Elsewhere, champions Bayern Munich finished the season in style, farewelling departing veteran Thomas Mueller in a 4-0 win at Hoffenheim.
Harry Kane scored his 26th league goal of the year, winning the top goalscorer gong for the second straight season, with Michael Olise, Joshua Kimmich and Serge Gnabry also getting on the scoresheet.
Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Mainz in Xabi Alonso's final match in the dugout.
Last season's champions fell behind with 35 minutes played when Paul Nebel scored but Patrick Schick scored twice in five minutes after halftime to take the lead, while bringing his season tally to 21 goals. AFP
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