Bundesliga: 11-round unbeaten top BVB edge Bayern 3-2

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Bundesliga's current season's unbeaten team Borussia Dortmund (BVB) twice came from a goal down to beat defending champions Bayern Munich 3-2 with substitute Paco Alcacer's second-half winner in the Der Klassiker ( the "German Clasico") on Saturday.

The Black and Yellows enlarged their points to 27, with Borussia Moenchengladbach second on 24 and Bayern third on 20 after 11 rounds.

In a hugely entertaining encounter that lived up to its big-game billing, Dortmund came out on top, earning Bundesliga bragging rights and pulling away from their main title contenders going into the international break.

Robert Lewandowski twice put visitors Bayern ahead only for Dortmund captain Marco Reus to equalize each time before Spaniard Alcacer confirmed his "super-sub" status in the 73rd minute with the decisive goal on the break.

Marco Reus of Dortmund scores the first two goals during the 3-2 win against Bayern Munich, Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, November 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

It was Alcacer's seventh goal in his fourth substitute appearance for BVB this season, and he scored nine goals in total for the club after being loaned from Barcelona to German side this summer.

"It was a great game and I have to congratulate my players," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre. "I don't think I have seen a tougher Bayern team than in the opening 30 minutes.

"I was happy to go into the break trailing 1-0 because I knew they could not keep up that pace. It was hard for us but we then felt we could win the game."

The game-finisher Paco Alcacer accepts interview after winning Bayern Munich 3-2 at the Bundesliga season 2018-2019, Germany, November 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

The result piles more pressure on embattled Bayern coach Niko Kovac, with the Bavarians, so accustomed to domestic success having won the last six league titles, now struggling in their pursuit of vibrant Dortmund.

Bayern, whose last failure to win a match after leading twice by a goal came 18 years ago, could drop to fourth on Sunday if RB Leipzig beat the 13th-place Bayer Leverkusen.

"We were twice caught on the break and that should not happen," said Kovac. "Dortmund had very quick players and we should have been more compact."

The last encounter for the two teams ended in a 6-0 Bayern's win on March 31, and probably it was the revenge aspiration motivated the whole team.

For the past six years' Bundesliga winners, the overage problem should be treated seriously as in the similar situation, Chinese Super League's seven-time consecutive champions Guangzhou Evergrande lost their defending title to the much younger Shanghai SIPG this season.

Bayern's coach Niko Kovac conducts the game during the Der Klassiker, while Dortmund coach Lucien Favre stands behind him, Germany, November 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

Bottom teams' Luck

Fortuna Dusseldorf beat the capital team Hertha Berlin 4-1 at home after the visitors were reduced to 10 men as defender Maximilian Mittelstadt was shown a second yellow card just before half-time.

The extra man benefited the relegated zone member five minutes into the second half as Japanese international Takashi Usami, who started his German career in Bayern seven years ago and helped Dusseldorf promote to the top division, shot a rifling opener into the net.

Rouwen Hennings added one in the 63rd minute, while Benito Raman made a brace (84', 90+1') in the last phase to make Davie Selke's successful 88th-minute remedy into null.

Largely, the victory came from luck as Dusseldorf had six consecutive losses before this round. But Hertha lost their momentum of staying in the European zone during the first six rounds and now they rank eighth on the table.

And another sufferer Stuttgart handed promoted Nurnberg a 2-0 away win with Timo Baumgartl's (68') and Erik Thommy's (82') efforts. But the bottom teams are still at the bottom with eight points each.

Takashi Usami celebrates his opening goal for Fortuna Dusseldorf during the Bundesliga match against Hertha Berlin, Germany, November 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

Results of Round 11

Hannover 96 2-1 Wolfsburg

Freiburg 1-3 Mainz 05

Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-1 Hertha BSC

Nurnberg 0-2 Stuttgart

Hoffenheim 2-1 Augsburg

Werder Bremen 1-3 Borussia M'gladbach

Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Bayern Munich

RB Leipzig will face Bayer Leverkusen, and Eintracht Frankfurt will meet Schalke 04 on Sunday.

Cover: Paco Alcacer of Dortmund scores at the 73th minute to help BVB win the Der Klassiker, Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, November 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

(With inputs from Reuters)