Sammer: Dortmund too ‘immature’ to win Bundesliga title

BERLIN:

Dortmund have been branded too “immature” to win the Bundesliga title race with Bayern Munich after mistakes by youngsters Dan-Axel Zagadou and Achraf Hakimi contributed to their shock defeat at Augsburg.

Dortmund’s poor record of one win in seven games in all competitions has allowed defending champions Bayern, who were nine points behind in December, to draw level in the table after Saturday’s 5-1 rout of Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Dortmund’s title ambitions were dented by Friday’s 2-1 away defeat after a slip by Zagadou, 19, led to Ji Dong-won (pic) scoring Augsburg’s first goal before the South Korean striker pounced on a lazy pass by Hakimi, 20, to score his second.

“They are immature, just immature,” Eurosport pundit and ex-Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer said of the leaders’ defence, which has an average age of 21.

“The game was decided in the head.”

Sammer believes the lack of experience, among the likes of Zagadou, Hakimi and England winger Jadon Sancho, 18, is a contributing factor in Dortmund winning just one of their last seven games in all competitions.

Meanwhile, South Korea forward Dong-won has been hailed as ‘world-class’ and a ‘genius’ after his two-goal haul for struggling Augsburg c.

The 27-year-old showed lightning reactions to pounce on two individual mistakes in the Dortmund defence on Friday, showing clinical finishing for both goals to ease Augsburg’s woes in the relegation battle.

“We played really well and showed our willingness to fight, our mentality, cohesion and will to win,” the South Korean modestly told reporters.

After also giving mighty Bayern Munich a scare at the WWK Arena a fortnight ago, when the hosts took the lead twice in a 3-2 defeat, Augsburg were rewarded for an impressive display as their victory dented Dortmund’s title ambitions.

Having also scored against Bayern, Dong-won was Augsburg’s stand-out performer.

“It was remarkable how he played,” said team manager Stefan Reuter.

“He did a great job, fought for every ball and was rewarded with his two goals. How he scored the second goal was absolutely worldclass, a stroke of genius.” — AFP