Bayern's Kimmich enjoys 'most beautiful goal' as title beckons

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - May 26, 2020 Borussia Dortmund's Mahmoud Dahoud in action with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Federico Gambarini/Pool via REUTERS DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich called his sumptuous winner in the 1-0 victory at rivals Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday the most beautiful goal of his life but it was also the most important of the season as it put them within reach of the Bundesliga title.

Midfielder Kimmich chipped a perfect lob over Roman Buerki from 20 metres in the 43rd minute and while the keeper got his fingers on the ball he could not stop it floating into the net.

The win put leaders Bayern seven points clear of second-placed Dortmund with six games left to play.

"It is not that I wanted to do this," Kimmich said. "I did not see him off his line but we were told before the game that Buerki stands a bit off his line so I went for it and with a bit of luck it went in.

"It was maybe the most beautiful goal of my life and also very important," he added.

The midfielder earned Bayern a seventh straight league win as they chase a record-extending eighth consecutive league title.

"That was the big step that we wanted to take," said Thomas Mueller. "It was a bit of a strange game but after Joshua's goal we tried to work a lot. It was important to win here in Dortmund."

Dortmund coach Lucien Favre conceded that bridging a seven-point gap in the remaining games would be tough.

"It will be very, very difficult, Seven points in six games. It will be brutally difficult," he said.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmannl; Editing by Ken Ferris)