Borussia Dortmund retain title

Monday, 23 April 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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.

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.