Freak Brandt goal sinks Hoffenheim as Dortmund go three points clear

BERLIN: In-form Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt scored a freak first-half goal to secure a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim on Saturday and send his side three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. Just before half-time, Dortmund captain Marco Reus swung in a free-kick from just outside the box to Brandt, who looked to be trying to get out of the way, but the ball skimmed off his back and into the net. Brandt, who was named Bundesliga player of the month on Thursday, has now scored in five consecutive matches for Dortmund, who are on a nine-match winning streak.

He said his side “pushed our luck a bit” but declared the victory was a “strong snapshot” of where the team is right now. “In the past we’ve often lost games like that,” he said. After the break, Dortmund midfielder Emre Can’s clumsy challenge on Hoffenheim midfielder Kevin Akpoguma inside the box survived a VAR review, despite the former Liverpool player clearly clipping his opponent’s heel.

Dortmund winger Marius Wolf looked to have doubled his side’s lead after 57 minutes when he struck a lifting ball past ‘keeper Oliver Baumann, but the goal was ruled out for a foul at the other end of the pitch in the build up. Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani had a late chance to equalize when Angelino found him unmarked a meter from Dortmund’s goal, but the striker headed just wide. Bayern Munich and Union Berlin, both three points behind Dortmund, meet on Sunday in the Bavarian capital.

Elsewhere, RB Leipzig climbed into the top four with a 2-1 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Leipzig took the lead after just six minutes, with Timo Werner chipping the ball in despite losing his balance on the edge of the box. Emil Forsberg, who assisted Werner’s effort, doubled