BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund scored three times in five first-half minutes to beat VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 and claim their first Bundesliga away win of the season, despite going down to 10 men just past the hour, as they moved up to sixth place on Sunday.

Donyell Malen, Maxi­milian Beier and Julian Brandt scored for Dort­mund, who had Pascal Gross sent off after 62 minutes soon after Denis Vavro had pulled a goal back for the hosts.

Dortmund returned to winning ways after three straight draws and moved to 25 points from 15 games to sit in the last European qualifying spot, while Wolf­s­burg remain 11th with 21.

It was a slow start at the Volkswagen Arena, with neither side testing the goalkeepers in the opening 20 minutes.

But Malen then marked his return to Dortmund’s starting lineup in style, open­ing scoring with a close-range volley after a corner in the 25th minute.

Beier doubled the lead three minutes later with a superb finish off the post before setting up Brandt, who returned after a month out injured and scored on the half-hour.

Wolfsburg were stunned and the rest of the contest was a damage limitation exercise for Ralph Hasenhuettl’s side, although they managed to get on the scoresheet with a Vavro header from a corner in the 58th minute.

Shortly after they Dortmund were reduced to 10 men four minutes later as Gross was sent off for a last-man foul on Lukas Nmecha, but Wolfsburg were unable to capitalise on their man advantage.

Bochum beat relegation rivals Heiden­heim 2-0 for their first victory of the Bundesliga season.

Rooted in last place in the table, Bochum took an early lead through striker Moritz Broschinski before Matus Bero put the hosts in control before the break.

Heidenheim improved after the restart but the damage was already done and Bochum, who had lost 11 of their previous 14 games, stayed within two points of Holstein Kiel, who are directly above them in 17th.

Meanwhile, 16th-placed Heidenheim sit just two poi­nts ahead of Kiel.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2024