A stunning first-half performance from Dynamo Dresden earned them a first win in over four years over Erzgebirge Aue, for whom the result was a major blow to their survival hopes.

Jannik Müller, Niklas Kreuzer, Stefan Kutschke and Marvin Stefaniak all scored in a scintillating 45 minutes, with three of the goals coming from corners as Aue’s defence was exposed.

Dimitrij Nazarov’s second-half penalty gave them hope of a dramatic comeback, it was not to be as Dresden moved into fifth in the 2. Bundesliga table.

Aue unable to continue Dresden streak

Despite coming into the game bottom of the league, Aue had been looking to extend a seven-game unbeaten run, dating back to September 2012, against their East German rivals, which had continued with a 3-0 win in Dresden back in September.

They had lost just once since the winter break and earned a credible 1-1 draw with Eintracht Braunschweig last weekend – the trouble is the other teams at the bottom are picking up points too, leaving the bottom four all level on points at the start of the weekend. They made two changes, with Albert Bunkaku and Nazarov replacing Nicky Adler and Clemens Fandrich.

Dresden were licking their wounds after back-to-back defeats against FC St. Pauli and Hannover 96. They made one change to their line-up, with Andreas ‘Lumpi’ Lambertz recalled in favour of Erich Berko.

Defensive horror show for Aue

The early stages were played mostly in Dresden’s half, but this would not be a reflection of how the half turned out. The home fans did think they might have had a penalty when Bunjaku was nudged aside by Kreuzer but the experienced Manuel Gräfe saw nothing wrong with the defending.

Dresden took the lead in the sixteenth minute from Kreuzer’s corner. Kutschke rose highest to meet it, but Martin Männel kept it out, however the rebound fell to Müller who left the Aue captain with little chance of saving it.

It wasn’t too long before it was two. Dresden broke quickly, with Lambertz finding Kreuzer, via a touch from Aias Aosman, and he fired the ball home past Männel.

Dresden were looking by far the most dangerous team going forward, with Aue doing well at this point to keep it at two. Marvin Stefaniak was forced to shoot over after he had his progress blocked in the box, and Männel had to be on alert to save from point blank range from Giuliano Modica.

The home side’s defending though was more than suspect for the third goal. Kutschke was left completely unmarked as he headed home the corner from Philip Heise. And it got even worse before the break, with Stefaniak handed a clear run at another corner, giving him the momentum over the defenders in front of him to score with the final touch of the half.

Violas improve but too little, too late

It would have taken an incredible comeback if Aue were to get anything from this game, but they certainly went about it the right away after the break. They were creating chances, with Nazarov shooting over, a free-kick headed over by Adler and a Mario Kvesic chance deflecting wide.

Finally they were given hope. The penalty award against Marco Hartmann on Mario Kvesic looked a little soft, but Gräfe pointed to the spot nonetheless. Nazarov stepped up – Schwäbe went the right way, but Nazarov’s penalty went in, making it two goals in two games for the Azerbaijan international.

Both sides exchanged headed chances, with Männel doing well to keep out Kutschke’s attempt, although Schwäbe’s save from Bunkaju proved academic as he was given offside. Kvesic then struck the post for Aue, with appeals for a handball off a defender on the way denied.

The fightback petered out though, with Dresden having more chances to make it five. Substitute Pascael Testroet almost scored it at the end, getting round Männel but finding the keeper had blocked off his angle, whilst he did put the ball in the back of the net in stoppage time but was rightly not given as he was offside.

With the win Dresden moved above 1. FC Heidenheim into fifth, albeit six points off the top four, whilst Aue’s goal difference took a big hit, although they remain just one point from safety.