Bundesliga Roundup: Brandt scores with back to send Dortmund to top of table
BERLIN (AP) — Julian Brandt scored along with his again and Borussia Dortmund held on to maneuver to the highest of the Bundesliga after beating Hoffenheim 1-0 on Saturday.
It was Dortmund’s ninth win from 9 video games throughout all competitions this 12 months and sufficient for the workforce to maneuver three factors away from 10-time defending champion Bayern Munich and shock challenger Union Berlin.
Bayern, which has seen its four-point lead disappear for the reason that winter break, hosts Union on Sunday.
Brandt scored for the fourth consecutive league sport for Dortmund. Marco Reus whipped in a free kick and Brandt bent ahead so the ball skimmed in off his again shortly earlier than the break.
“Things are working out for us at the moment,” Brandt mentioned. “A little bit of luck is part of it. We’re efficient. Today we were a little less efficient then we’ve been over the past few weeks, when we played very well. We have many guys in great form and, as we saw in the last few weeks, others who’ve come in and scored very important goals for us. A lot is coming together.”
Marius Wolf thought he’d made it 2-0 with a strong strike contained in the close to submit, however the purpose was chalked off for an obvious foul by Nico Schlotterbeck on Ihlas Bebou.
Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel denied Andrej Kramaric from the ensuing free kick however Hoffenheim stored up its strain to the top.
“In the past we often lost such games, so from that point of view it’s a positive development,” Brandt mentioned. “Nevertheless, it’s a very, very, very strong moment, what we’ve delivered in the past few weeks. And we have to keep going.”
It was American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s third consecutive defeat since taking up at Hoffenheim.
SCHALKE AND HERTHA CELEBRATE
Schalke and Hertha Berlin loved morale-boosting victories of their battles towards relegation.
Last-placed Schalke defeated Stuttgart 2-1 at dwelling for its first win since November and third of the season.
Dominick Drexler obtained the house workforce off the mark within the tenth and Marius Bülter produced a beautiful end for the second purpose.
Borna Sosa capitalized on a mistake from goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann to drag one again halfway by way of the second half, however Schalke managed to outlive a nervy end. The Gelsenkirchen-based workforce drew its earlier 4 video games, all 0-0.
Hertha climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Augsburg in snowy situations within the capital.
Florian Niederlechner began towards his former workforce for Hertha, which reportedly needed to pay Augsburg more cash for the privilege following his winter switch between the golf equipment.
Marco Richter broke the impasse with a shot from distance within the 61st, and 9 minutes later Dodi Lukebakio sealed what was solely Hertha’s fifth win of the season.
Also, Leipzig held on to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1, Cologne misplaced at dwelling to Wolfsburg 2-0, and Werder Bremen loved a 3-0 win over Bochum.
