Bayern Munich may have just ended the Bundesliga title race

Bayern Munich’s 1-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday puts them seven-points clear atop the Bundesliga table with six matches left, and on the verge of an eighth consecutive title.

When the Bundesliga got the all-clear as the first major soccer league to return, we rejoiced at the thought of getting a proper ending to Europe’s most compelling title race. That excitement may have ended on Tuesday afternoon.

In the most-anticipated match of the post-delay run-in, Bayern Munich beat their Der Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund, 1-0, thanks to a beautiful goal by Joshua Kimmich.

The match lived up to its first-vs-second billing. It was lively, despite being played in an empty Westfalenstadion by players who are just getting back to speed.

By expected goals it was a dead-even match.

It was only Kimmich’s moment of magic – and a suspect decision not to use VAR – that separated the two sides.

Now, Bayern are seven points clear with six league matches to be played. They’re going to have to slip up more than once for Dortmund to catch them. And that takes for granted BVB coming in perfect themselves.

The one factor that could help salvage a title chase over the coming weeks is the clubs’ respective schedules.

Bayern’s final six matches are against clubs with an average league position of 9th (as of the conclusion of Tuesday’s action). Bayern face four teams from the current top seven.

Dortmund on the other hand face a final six opponents with an average league position of 12th. The Black and Yellow face three of the bottom-four and only club in the current European places (third-place RB Leipzig).

Dortmund will have every chance to take the full points from the rest of their matches, but on Tuesday they squandered their best shot to cut into Bayern’s margin for error.

Now, the Bundesliga’s most consistent winning machine looks primed to cruise to another title.