* Dortmund clinch title with 2-0 over Gladbach
* Bayern’s win at Bremen in vain
* Kaiserslautern relegated despite win
(Adds quotes pars 6-9)
BERLIN, April 21 (Reuters) – Borussia Dortmund, a young
team assembled at minimum cost, won the Bundesliga for the
second season running on Saturday after a 2-0 home win over
Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Ivan Perisic and Shinji Kagawa, plucked from the Japanese
second division two years ago, scored in each half as Dortmund
wrapped up the title with two games to spare and completed their
26th league game without defeat.
Juergen Klopp’s side, who on Saturday included six players
aged 23 or under, left more glamorous rivals Bayern Munich
standing as they opened up an unassailable eight-point lead over
the Bavarians with two games to play.
It was the eighth time Dortmund have been German champions,
five of them in the last 20 years.
Dortmund’s players celebrated by pouring huge glasses of
beer over each other and coach Klopp as well as a startled Sky
television commentary team who were broadcasting from the
touchline.
“I haven’t got words to describe what this team has
achieved,” said a beer-soaked Klopp, a coach known for his
exuberant celebrations.
“It’s just amazing. If ever there’s a team that deserves to
be champions, then it’s us.”
Dortmund came close to financial collapse seven years ago,
and CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke is credited with guiding the 1997
Champions League winners into the most exciting sports brand in
Germany in the past two seasons.
“It’s unbelievable, when you remember where we have come
from,” he said.
Second-placed Bayern, who kicked off earlier, kept the race
going for as long as they could when Franck Ribery scored in the
last minute to give them a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen after Naldo
had scored at both ends.
At the other end of the table, Kaiserslautern were relegated
after two seasons in the top flight despite beating fellow
strugglers Hertha Berlin 2-1 away to end a 21-match winless run.
The result plunged second-bottom Hertha into further trouble
while Cologne, who are 16th and in the relegation playoff place,
also dropped points at home in a 1-1 draw with VfB Stuttgart.
Hamburg SV, the only ever-present team since the Bundesliga
was founded in 1963, eased their relegation worries with a 1-1
draw at Nuremburg.
Dortmund have 75 points from 32 games while Bayern, who
guaranteed their place in the Champions League next season, have
67.
Schalke, in the third direct Champions League place, have 57
and fourth-placed Gladbach 56 in the Champions League playoff
spot.
HIGH-TEMPO GAME
Although Gladbach enjoyed plenty of early possession, Kagawa
hit the post and Robert Lewandowski, Dortmund’s revelation this
season and top scorer with 20 goals, fired a low shot narrowly
wide as the hosts played their usual high-tempo game.
Perisic put Dortmund ahead in the 23rd minute when he got in
front of the defence to head in Marcel Schmelzer’s inswinging
free kick at the near post.
Dortmund survived a scare when Schmelzer cleared a Marco
Reus effort off the line before wrapping up the title with a
sweeping move down the left in the 59th minute.
Schmelzer sent Lewandowski free with a 50-metre ball out of
defence and the Pole slipped his pass inside for Kagawa, who
rounded goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen to slot the ball home
for his 13th goal of the league season.
Klopp punched the air, ran down the touchline, lost his
footing and then lifted Kagawa off the ground in celebration.
Bayern had recently publicly renounced any pretensions of
winning the Bundesliga, preferring to focus on reaching the
final of the Champions League, which will be played in their own
stadium.
They visit Real Madrid for the second leg of their
semi-final on Wednesday, having won the first leg 2-1 last
Tuesday.
They made eight changes to the side which beat Real and fell
behind in the 51st minute when Claudio Pizarro headed on a
corner and Naldo fired home from close range.
With Werder dominating, Bayern brought on top scorer Mario
Gomez and Ribery. The Frenchman had only been on for a few
minutes when he broke down the left and sent over a low cross
that Naldo, under no pressure, side-footed into his net from 12
metres.
Then Ribery wriggled past his marker and placed a low shot
into the far corner.
Kaiserslautern stunned Hertha when Oliver Kirch and Andrew
Wooten scored in a 12-minute spell before halftime.
Peter Niemeyer replied on the hour for Hertha, although he
was later sent off for a second bookable offence. Hertha,
promoted last season, are two points adrift of Cologne.
(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Mark Meadows)
