Lewandowski goal delays Bayern title party

Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski scored eight minutes from time to give champions Borussia Dortmund a nervous 2-1 win at 10-man VfB Stuttgart on Saturday and delay the all but inevitable Bayern Munich title party by at least a week.

Lewandowski snatched his 20th goal of the season after a cutback into the box by fellow Poland international Lukasz Piszczek.

Failure to win at Stuttgart would have given Bayern the chance to clinch the title later on Saturday with a home win over Hamburg SV but second-placed Dortmund's victory put them 17 points behind the Bavarians.

Even if Bayern now win against Hamburg they will have a 20-point lead with seven games left and will need to wait a little longer to celebrate their first league title since 2010.

Early substitute Piszczek headed a Marco Reus free kick past goalkeeper Sven Ulreich for the opener in the 29th minute but Dortmund then missed a string of chances.

Stuttgart worked their way back into the game and Alexandru Maxix drew them level with a low drive in the 63rd.

The hosts, who had also hit the post earlier, were lucky to have the goal awarded after Antonio Ruediger stepped well inside the pitch with a throw-in that led to the goal.

Stuttgart then had Georg Niedermeier sent off for a second booking after a rough challenge on Mario Goetze in the 68th and Dortmund made the extra man count when right back Piszczek raced clear down the wing to feed Lewandowski for the tap-in.

Photograph: Lisi Niesner/Reuters