Mats Hummel's header two minutes after Kevin Volland's well-placed finish was enough to settle the tie between Hoffenheim and Dortmund as the race for the Europa League heats up. 

Borussia Dortmund and TSG Hoffenheim were both pushing for the final Europa League place chasing after FC Augsburg and struggling Schalke who were both playing on Saturday afternoon.

It was the host who had the best chance of the opening five minutes, Anthony Modeste and Kevin Volland linked up tremendously as Volland was set through on goal only to be denied wonderfully by the Australian Mitchell Langerak.

BVB fought back, Blaszczykowski delivered a teasing ball but captain Mats Hummels failed to test Oliver Baumann with his header as it flew over the bar.

After half an hour, Kevin Volland fired from thirty yards out, Langerak was left scrambling but the side netting saved Langerak his blushes. Three minutes later, the breakthrough came and it was through the hosts. Dangerman Kevin Volland latched onto Schwegler’s pass down the right channel and Volland bust down the by-line holding off Marcel Schmelzer before slotting confidently past the on-coming Langerak.

But their lead lasted just two minutes. Henrikh Mkhitryan’s corner brilliantly picked out Mats Hummels’ who nudged his marker in the back before out-jumping his man, heading into the ground and Oliver Baumann failed to keep it out.

Before the break, an uncharacteristic mistake from Mats Hummels was capitalised on by Anthony Modeste who ran through on goal, Langerak did all he could to put  Modeste off and it worked as the Frenchman put it wide.

In the opening minutes of the second half it was evenly poised between the two sides. Both teams exchanging pressure but firstly it was Hoffenheim who started out the blocks the quickest again, brilliant interplay from the hosts, Kevin Volland got himself an extra yard of space before unleashing his shot but the German under-21 international didn’t connect with it as well as he would’ve hoped and Langerak saw the danger wide. Then, at the other end a fast counter attack from Dortmund, Marco Reus fizzed in a delivery, which Pierre Emerick Aubameyang met but he couldn’t divert it on target and scuffed his shot wide.

Three minutes after the restart, the travelling Yellow Wall were in shock and their team squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead. One-Two passes carved the Hoffenheim defence wide-open. Gundogan found Mkhitryan who fed Kagawa giving him the opportunity on a silver platter but the Japanese international, who had the goal at his mercy, scuffed his effort wide. 

Hoffenheim continued their pressure on Jürgen Klopp’s side. A flurry of chances came for Gisdol’s side. Firstly, Anthony Modeste dispossessed Erik Durm on the left and he broke down the far side by-line, Langerak came out, closing the angle down and the Australian did his job as Modeste failed to get enough bend on the ball and placed his shot wide. Then, Volland delivered a deep inswinging delivery to Abraham, Abraham looped his header, Langerak was well beaten but it was the bar that denied the Swiss defender.

In the remaining minutes of the game, Hoffenheim had their backs against the wall. Aubameyang was set through on goal, he ha to hold off the pressure of two Hoffenheim defenders but still got his shot off but his shot was brilliantly saved by the leg of Oliver Baumann.  Minutes later, the Hoffenheim stopper denied Dortmund again. Aubameyang burst down the wing, he found substitute Ciro Immobile on the penalty spot but yet again Baumann saved from close range. 

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