Berlin, Jan 22 (AFP): Erling Haaland put Borussia Dortmund on their way to a rollercoaster 3-2 win over Hoffenheim on Saturday to keep his side’s Bundesliga title hopes alive.
Despite being outplayed for much of the game, Marco Rose’s side bounced back from a shock defeat in the cup in midweek, scrapping their way to a victory which moves them within three points of league leaders Bayern Munich overnight.
Dortmund started brilliantly, carving through the Hoffenheim defence with a brilliant string of passes on six minutes, providing Erling Haaland with a tap-in for the opener.
Hoffenheim then squandered several good chances before Andrej Kramaric equalised with a smart volley on the stroke of half-time.
Marco Reus restored the lead on the counter-attack, before a David Raum own-goal appeared to seal the three points for Dortmund.
Georginio Rutter gave Hoffenheim hope late on, but Dortmund held on to claim the three points.
Dortmund remain eight points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who stormed to a 5-1 victory over Augsburg thanks to a Moussa Diaby hat-trick.
Karim Bellarabi and Diaby gave Leverkusen a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead over a limp Augsburg side, before Arne Maier pulled a goal back for the guests on the hour mark.
Diaby was irresistible, however, adding a third for Leverkusen minutes later before tearing through Augsburg on the counter-attack to complete his hat-trick.
Substitute Lucas Alario added a fifth with a crafty backheel ten minutes from time.
Union beat Gladbach
Union Berlin broke into the top four as they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1, piling more misery on under-fire coach Adi Huetter.
Gladbach were in need of a result, having won just one of their last eight in the league and slumped to a shock cup defeat to Hannover in midweek.
Huetter’s side started sluggishly, however, and Max Kruse gave Union the lead from the penalty spot after a Denis Zakaria handball.
The hosts showed a sign of life just before half-time, Manu Kone smashing home the equaliser after a superb counter-attack.
Gladbach had chances to take the lead themselves in the second half, but were left shellshocked when Kruse blasted home a second to give Union a smash-and-grab win.
Victory moves high-flying Union into a Champions League spot, but they remain just a point ahead of Freiburg, who beat neighbours Stuttgart 2-0.
Stuttgart had a penalty decision in their favour overturned by VAR just minutes before Freiburg took the lead, Lucas Hoefler’s long-range effort.
Kevin Schade added another in the second half, leaving Freiburg just a point adrift of the top four.
At the other end of the table, Jeremy Dudziak inspired bottom club Greuther Fuerth to a 2-1 win over Mainz.
Dudziak scored an early opener, before forcing a second-half own-goal from Stefan Bell to give Fuerth only their second win of the season.