Sebastien Haller hit a double and Jude Bellingham netted from the spot as Borussia Dortmund kept up their title push with an emphatic 5-2 win over mid-table Borussia Monchengladbach.
2022/2023 Bundesliga
5-2
Die Shwarzgelben responded to leaders Bayern Munich’s 6-0 rout of Schalke earlier in the day with their own goal-blitz as they charged to a 4-0 lead inside 31 minutes.
Donyell Malin set the ball rolling on five minutes with a simple close-range header before two goals in two minutes courtesy of a Bellingham penalty and a sublime flick from Haller ensured there would be no nervy evening for the home supporters.
Haller then rounded off a superb team goal with a near-post finish just past the half hour to put the result beyond Daniel Farke’s Foals.
Dortmund moved down a couple of gears in the second half and Gladbach were able to reduce the deficit in the final 15 minutes.
First, Ramy Bensebaini converted a penalty before substitute Lars Stindl curled a lovely strike into the bottom corner, but the goals came too late for the away side to set up a barnstorming finale.
Giovanni Reyna grabbed a fifth for Dortmund to round off the win deep into stoppage time.
The victory moves Edin Terzic’s side back to within a point of champions Bayern with just two matches to play. Monchengladbach remain in 11th spot.
Dortmund will now continue their push for a first Bundesliga title in 11 years at Augsburg next Sunday. Gladbach visit Bayer Leverkusen.
Line-ups
Dortmund XI: Hummels, Emre Can, Haller, Sule, Brandt, Wolf, Gregor Kobel, Julian Ryerson, Donyell Malen, Karim Adeyemi, Jude Bellingham
Subs: Anthony Modeste, Reus, Alexander Meyer, Guerreiro, Passlack, Özcan, Reyna, Nico Schlotterbeck, Youssoufa Moukoko
Gladbach XI: Lainer, Hofmann, Weigl, Friedrich, Elvedi, Bensebaini, Neuhaus, Wolf, Manu Koné, Jan Olschowsky, Nathan Ngoumou
Subs: Sippel, Stindl, Jantschke, Herrmann, Kramer, Thuram, Ko Itakura, Joe Scally, Luca Netz