Dortmund beat Mainz to snap winless run and cut Bayern lead

BERLIN (Reuters) – Second-placed Borussia Dortmund beat hosts Mainz 05 2-0 on Friday in coach Thomas Tuchel’s return to his former club, ending their three-game winless run in the Bundesliga as they closed in on leaders Bayern Munich.

Marco Reus put Dortmund ahead in the 18th minute but the Germany international, criticised for a string of weak performances recently for club and country, saw his second half penalty saved as Dortmund wasted several good chance to score.

They had to wait until Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s close-range effort in the 82nd minute to make the points safe.

Dortmund’s first league win since Sept. 23, took them to 20 points, four behind Bayern who take on Werder Bremen on Saturday.

It was the first time back at Mainz for Tuchel, who had a successful five-year spell at the club with two Europa League qualifications before an acrimonious split last season and a one-year sabbatical.

But the 42-year-old Dortmund coach had to endure a nervous game with his players wasteful once more this season and Mainz hitting the woodwork.

Reus put the visitors ahead with his third goal of the season after a fine combination between Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who missed out on setting a league record of scoring in 11 consecutive Bundesliga matches.

Instead of adding another, out-of-form Reus had his penalty saved by Mainz’s Loris Karius and the player, along with Aubameyang and Shinji Kagawa, squandered half a dozen more opportunities before Mkhitaryan rounded the keeper to seal their sixth victory in nine matches eight minutes from time.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Martyn Herman)