Marvin Plattenhardt's stunning free-kick earned Hertha BSC a vital 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund at the Olympiastadion to move within two points off a Champions League spot in the Bundesliga .

Solomon Kalou opened the scoring in the first half for the Old Lady and it stayed that way until the second half when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised for Thomas Tuchel's side.

Plattenhardt though had the final say in the game as he produced a wonderful free-kick goal 19 minutes from time to seal a vital three points for the Old Lady, who moved to within three points of their visitors after this victory.

Visitors start strong but fell behind to a Kalou goal

The visitors made a good start to the game and had a couple of chances early on but Andre Schürrle wasted both of them by putting his shot wide when he should have done better.

After their good start though they tailed off and that let the hosts into the game and from that they took the lead 11 minutes into the game. A mistake at the back by Matthias Ginter allowed Vedad Ibisevic to get the ball in the box and the striker played the ball across the goal to Kalou, who had the simple job off putting the ball in the net.

Kalou should have at least put the hosts 2-0 up at half-time

Kalou almost made it two soon after when he hit a good curling shot from outside the box which forced Roman Burki into a very good save to keep it out.

From the resulting corner though, Burki got off the hook when he dropped a cross but Kalou's goalbound shot was cleared off the line by Raphael Guerreiro.

Kalou had yet another chance before the end of the first half but with the goal at his mercy, he couldn't head the ball into the net after a great cross was delivered into the box.

The visitors failed to respond to going a goal down and despite having most of the possession in the first half, resolute defending from the home side saw them restricted to the bare minimum which would need to change in the second half if they were going to get back into the game.

Tuchel's side came out with a point to prove at the start of the second half and they almost got back on level terms but Aubameyang couldn't get on the end of a cross with the goal at his mercy.

They kept pushing for the equaliser but they were almost caught on the break when Ciljan Skjelbred went through on goal after a fantastic team move but he put his shot well side of the goal when he should have done much better.

Aubameyang equalised ten minutes into the second half

It looked like being a costly miss as a few minutes later, Dortmund's leading marksmen Aubameyang equalised after a fantastic pass from Shinji Kagawa played him through and the striker smashed the ball into the top corner of the net.

The visitors should have gone in front soon after when Gonzalo Castro ran the whole way through the home defence but he dragged his shot well wide much to the disgust of Tuchel on the sidelines.

Plattenhardt's stunning free-kick saw the Old Lady take all three points

It proved to be a costly miss as the home side went back in front. The goal was scored by Plattenhardt, who produced a wonderful strike from the edge of the box which went right into the top corner past the helpless Burki.

Dortmund tried to find another equaliser in the game but it was a step to far as the Old Lady defended extremely well to see them to a deserved win in a vital game for the club, while the visitors will feel the disappointment of falling further behind league leaders Bayen Munich.

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