Ramos helps seal BVB comeback win

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund trimmed Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga to five points on Sunday with a superb 3-1 comeback win at Augsburg.

Dortmund's Adrian Ramos, in for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who sat out after the death of his grandfather, played a big part in turning the game Borussia's way in the second half.

Augsburg took an shock lead at their WKK Arena when Iceland striker Alfred Finnbogason slotted home Brazilian winger Caiuby's cross on 16 minutes.

But Dortmund winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan dragged his side back into the game with an equaliser just before the halftime whistle after superb passing from Marco Reus and Nuri Sahin.

Ramos then came into his own, showing great skill in chesting down Mats Hummels's long ball for replacement Gonzalo Castro to fire home on 69 minutes.

The Colombia international then netted on 75 minutes to give Dortmund the three points that keep them in touch with Pep Guardiola's Bayern.

The defeat leaves Augsburg just above the relegation places on goal difference.

Earlier, Bayer Leverkusen rejoined the fight for a Champions League qualifying berth with a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart that saw them break back into the top six.

Goals by Julian Brandt and Karim Bellarabi handed Leverkusen a win that put them level on points with fifth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach and two points behind Schalke, who sit in the fourth place that offers a spot in next season's Champions League playoffs.

Germany Under-21 star Brandt gave the vistors the lead at Stuttgart's Mercedes Benz Arena on 11 minutes when he finished off a flowing attack.

Bellarabi celebrated his call-up to the Germany squad for the forthcoming internationals against England and Italy by adding Leverkusen's second on 49 minutes.

Brandt, 19, could have claimed his second of the game, but his shot hit the post when he got away from the Stuttgart defence with an hour gone.

On Saturday, Robert Lewandowski's 25th league goal of the season gave leaders Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Cologne.

Hertha Berlin remain on course to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1999/2000 after a 2-1 victory over Ingolstadt in the capital kept them four points clear of Schalke in third.

Wolfsburg, who will face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals next month, needed a last-minute Andre Schuerrle equaliser to grab a 1-1 draw at home to Darmstadt as they stay eighth.

In the battle to avoid relegation, Hoffenheim claimed a precious 3-1 win at Hamburg, while Eintracht Frankfurt beat Hanover 96 1-0 to leave their opponents 10 points adrift at the bottom.
Source: AFP