BERLIN ( Associated Press) – Karim Adeyemi scored his first Bundesliga goal as Borussia Dortmund beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 on Sunday and narrowed the gap on leaders Bayern Munich to three points.
It was Dortmund’s third consecutive win at the start of 2023 and lifted Edin Terzic’s side to fourth in the table.
Sébastien Haller made his first start for Dortmund after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer and the Ivorian striker made room for Adeyemi to open the scoring after 33 minutes.
But Dortmund needed several potential interventions from their goalkeeper Gregor Kobel before Leverkusen could be sieged. The locals had won their last five games and were unbeaten under new coach Xabi Alonso since a 2-0 defeat at Leipzig in October.
Marius Wolf was involved in both goals on Sunday, the first by recovering the ball to open the scoring. Julian Brandt hit a wall with Jude Bellingham and Haller sent in a cross for Adeyemi to open the scoring.
Adeyemi had failed to find the net in his first 13 games for Dortmund.
Wolf set up the play for the second goal in the 53rd. A through ball from Bellingham found Wolf’s feet on the right and the winger’s cross was headed wide by Leverkusen defender Edmund Tapsoba under pressure from Bellingham.
Dortmund captain Marco Reus came on for the last five minutes on his return from injury.
In the other game on Sunday, Cologne drew 0-0 with bottom club Schalke visiting.
Bayern opened the year with a 1–1 draw at home with Eintracht Frankfurt for their third straight draw. Bayern lead Union Berlin, their immediate followers, by a point. Leipzig is third, two units behind.
