Dortmund takes title plaudits

BERLIN - Reuters

(LtoR) Dortmund’s Moritz Leitner, Mario Goetze and Mats Hummels celebrate with a moke trophy after winning the Bundesliga title. AFP photo

Borussia Dortmund was heralded as a “fascinating” team yesterday after clinching its second successive Bundesliga title, keeping the club on course for a domestic double.

Dortmund won the title with two matches to spare after beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0 on Saturday, setting a league record after going 26 straight games without defeat.

The team will complete a sparkling season next month if it beats Bayern Munich in the German Cup final in Berlin.

“Dortmund are worthy champions because the team has this commitment that fascinates even neutral observers. After winning the title in 2011 you never had the impression that they would take it a bit easier,” said German Football Association president Wolfgang Niersbach.

Dortmund, whose last defeat was back in September, also produced a near perfect second part to the season, winning 13 and drawing two in 15 games. Thousands of fans poured onto the streets of the Ruhr valley city on Saturday to celebrate the title, honking car horns and spraying beer.

“I am very impressed by the unity of Borussia,” Germany coach Joachim Loew told reporters.

“Between coach team, officials and fans there is such a strong bond. The team played in this season with great intensity and will and were very consistent especially in the second half of the season.”
Dortmund, which has the second highest attendance in Europe with 80,000 fans per game behind Barcelona, refused to buckle in the title race, despite trailing Bayern at the halfway mark.

“It is their particular strength to get points against their biggest Bundesliga rivals,” said Germany manager Oliver Bierhoff after Dortmund beat Bayern, third-placed Schalke 04 and Gladbach, in fourth, in consecutive league games in the last weeks.