Nico Schlotterbeck on target as Borussia Dortmund end Hoffenheim's unbeaten run
Goals from Julian Brandt and Nico Schlotterbeck helped Dortmund secure a comfortable victory over in-form Hoffenheim, whose six-match unbeaten Bundesliga run came to an end at Signal Iduna Park.
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Hoffenheim
Goals: 1-0 Brandt 43’ (assist: Couto), 2-0 Schlotterbeck 60’ (assist: Nmecha)
Niko Kovač's side came into this fixture looking to extend their own unbeaten league run to six matches, having consolidated their position in the Bundesliga's top four with victory at fellow high-flyers Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.
Hoffenheim, though, were positively brimming with confidence ahead of their trip to Dortmund, having picked up five wins and a draw from their previous half-dozen fixtures in Germany's top flight.
Predictably perhaps, there was little to choose between the teams in the early stages of the contest. Wouter Burger had a low, long-range shot saved by Gregor Kobel, but chances were otherwise few and far between.
Hoffenheim's teenage forward Bazoumana Toure was a lively presence throughout the first half, while Karim Adeyemi's raw pace caused the visitors plenty of problems on the break. The 23-year-old was heavily involved in Dortmund's opener two minutes before half-time.
Adeyemi's perfectly weighted pass fed Yan Couto and the wing-back did brilliantly to pick out Brandt, who slotted home from close range to give Borussia the lead on his 200th top-flight appearance for the club.
Hoffenheim made a bright start to the second half, but it was Dortmund who struck again on the hour mark. After a flurry of corners, Felix Nmecha showed great composure to pick out Schlotterbeck, who managed to direct his left-footed shot past Oliver Baumann - despite losing his footing as he struck the ball.
Christian Ilzer introduced Andrej Kramarić in search of a response, but Dortmund's two-goal cushion rarely appeared under serious threat. Indeed, Serhou Guirassy could have added gloss to the scoreline when he was played through by Couto in second-half stoppage time, only to slam his shot against the crossbar with only Baumann to beat.
Man of the Match: Nico Schlotterbeck
The Dortmund captain was imperious at both ends of the pitch, capping his commanding performance with a well-taken goal that effectively sealed the home side's victory.
Defensively, Schlotterbeck was instrumental in helping Dortmund secure the clean sheet with a number of crucial interceptions and clearances, earning him 48 percent of the Man of the Match vote.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Dortmund 1.48 - Hoffenheim 0.98
Fastest player: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), 35 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-0 by Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), 4.06 percent
Most pressed player: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), 20 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Karim Adeyemi (Dortmund), 2.09
Fantasy Heroes: Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund, 355 Points), Yan Couto (Dortmund, 311 Points), Felix Nmecha (Dortmund, 226 Points)
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