DORTMUND (dpa-AFX) - Now just six points behind FC Bayern: Crisis-stricken striker Serhou Guirassy has breathed new life into Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga title hopes, scoring twice against 1. FC Heidenheim. The league's second-placed team only narrowly edged out the bottom club with a hard-fought 3-2 (1-1) victory, coming from behind after a long spell of lackluster play.
The out-of-form Guirassy turned the match around with a quick-fire double (68th minute/handball penalty, 69th), though he also missed another penalty (85th). Waldemar Anton had earlier put Dortmund ahead, but Heidenheim's Julian Niehues, also with a brace (45.+5/48.), had the underdogs dreaming of a major upset.
No matter how: Dortmund capitalize on Bayern's slip-ups
In the end, however, the visitors remained winless for a second straight month. Coach Frank Schmidt's team now trails the relegation playoff spot by five points. BVB, on the other hand, are the Bundesliga's longest unbeaten team. With 45 points from 20 matches, the Westphalians are in their best position in years. Dortmund also took advantage of two slip-ups by league leaders Munich, who lost to Augsburg (1-2) and drew with HSV (2-2), cutting the gap from eleven to six points in just one week.
Despite Dortmund's strong position in the table, the match once again left much to be desired. The first half, witnessed by 81,365 fans, was a sluggish and uninspired affair. Dortmund played without any spark against the league's bottom side. There was little sign of an offensive plan, and when chances did arise, they seemed more accidental than rehearsed. Goal-scoring opportunities were scarce.
In fact, the first chance of the game fell to the modest visitors. Eren Dinkci seemed caught off guard when the ball landed at his feet in the box after nearly half an hour. The SC Freiburg loanee pushed the ball straight into the arms of BVB keeper Gregor Kobel.
BVB's long spell of poor play
At the other end, Guirassy had a golden opportunity to end his goal drought just over ten minutes later. The Guinean, however, chipped the ball onto the crossbar. Despite his ongoing struggles, Guirassy was once again given a start and played a part in Dortmund's opener.
The former Dortmund player Diant Ramaj, now in goal for Heidenheim, was so unsettled by the striker after a corner that he dropped the ball, allowing Anton to tap in. The goal stood, even though referee Matthias Jöllenbeck had earlier called a similar incident at the other end as obstruction on BVB keeper Gregor Kobel.
Dortmund's somewhat fortunate lead did not last until the break. Heidenheim's Mathias Honsak drove the ball forward down the left, also benefiting from an injury to Filippo Mané, who had to abandon the footrace and was substituted at halftime. In the box, Niehues finished at the second attempt, even as he was falling. It was not undeserved, as Dortmund had offered far too little up to that point.
When Heidenheim took the lead, the stadium erupted
Things got even worse after the break. Once again, Niehues put the big underdogs ahead with a powerful long-range strike. The response was a furious chorus of boos, especially from fans on the South Stand. The hosts continued to struggle with sloppy passing, something Kovac had criticized weeks earlier. Numerous balls were carelessly misplaced.
Kovac responded to the setback by bringing on Maximilian Beier and Carney Chuwuemeka. However, the attacking efforts remained too cumbersome and at times too selfish. The boos grew louder, but turned to cheers after 67 minutes when referee Jöllenbeck, following a VAR review, awarded BVB a handball penalty. In the absence of the ill captain Emre Can, Guirassy took responsibility, after the originally designated taker Nico Schlotterbeck deferred to his striker. Guirassy converted to level the score.
This seemed to inspire the forward, who had previously scored just once in the new year. With the very next attack, the 29-year-old fired Dortmund into a fortunate lead, and only then did the team play with more freedom. Yet it was also Guirassy who, in the closing stages, missed the chance to seal the win from the penalty spot, sending the ball over the bar./lap/DP/he
