Dortmund scrape past Hoffenheim to top Bundesliga

DORTMUND, Germany : Borussia Dortmund scraped past Hoffenheim 1-0 courtesy of Marco Reus' first-half winner on Friday to go provisionally top of the Bundesliga with their fourth win in five matches this season.

The Ruhr valley club, who take on FC Copenhagen in their Champions League group opener on Tuesday, bagged the three points when Reus tapped in after a quick move down the left and a superb one-touch assist from Julian Brandt in the 16th minute.

They failed to add another goal in a dominant first half and had to survive a wobbly start in the second with Hoffenheim playing with more energy and committing more men forward.

Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, however, denied the hosts another goal in the 67th with a double save, first stopping substitute Thorgan Hazard's effort and then blocking Anthony Modeste's rebound shot.

Dortmund are top on 12 points, two points clear of second-placed champions Bayern Munich who visit Union Berlin, also on 10, on Saturday. Hoffenheim are fifth with nine.