Soccer-Dortmund strike late to earn 1-0 win over Cologne

DORTMUND, Germany, Oct 25 (Reuters) – Borussia Dortmund scored through Maximilian Beier deep in second-half stoppage time to snatch a 1-0 victory over Cologne on Saturday, their first win in three Bundesliga matches. Beier's shot was the lucky punch the hosts needed following a draw against RB Leipzig and last week's defeat by leaders Bayern Munich. The result lifted third-placed Dortmund, 4-2 winners at FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday, to 17 points, seven behind Bayern. Both teams had chances in the first half with Cologne teenager Said El Mala going close but it was his teammate, keeper Marvin Schwaebe, who made a string of sensational saves, including point-blank ones Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy. The pace dropped after the break and Cologne had to play with 10 men in the closing minutes after having no more substitutions following a serious knee injury to Timo Huebers, who was taken off on a stretcher. With the hosts piling on the pressure to make the most of the extra man, Schwaebe had to come to the rescue once more, tipping a deflected Julian Brandt shot wide. He could do nothing, however, to stop Beier's deflected shot from rolling over the line in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Dortmund are on 17 points, with RB Leipzig, winners 6-0 at Augsburg, in second on 19. Bayern lead the standings on 24 following their 3-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach. Cologne are eighth. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)

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