Borussia Dortmund scored two goals in each half to ease past struggling Hertha Berlin 4-1 at the closing of the 21st round.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The BVB needed some time to gain a foothold into the clash as Marco Reus's header marked the first chance of the game with 25 minutes played, reports Xinhua news agency.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dortmund opened the scoring two minutes later when Karim Adeyemi benefitted from a miscued shot from Reus and tapped the ball past Berlin goalkeeper Oliver Christensen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The hosts gained momentum and made it two at the half-hour mark after Donyell Malen poked home Adeyemi's pinpoint cross to the back post from close range.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hertha tried to pull back but lacked in penetration as only Marc Oliver Kempf came close by header in the 34th minute.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The visitors from the capital caught a perfect start into the second half and halved the deficit against the run of the play as Lucas Tousart hammered Suat Serdar's good build-up work into the roof of the net.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hertha increased the pressure but couldn't level the scores as Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was equal to Florian Niederlechner's dangerous effort in the 51st minute.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dortmund ceased its actions but still was able to restore its two-goal advantage after Reus curled home a free kick from 20 meters over the wall into the top right corner.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hertha Berlin's resistance was broken whereas Dortmund wasn't done with the scoring as Julian Brandt finished off a solo run from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens to make it four in the closing stages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the win, Dortmund secured its eighth straight win in 2023 and moved equal on points with front runners Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga standings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We have put ourselves in a very good position, but we haven't achieved our goals yet," said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Elsewhere, Union Berlin missed the chance to jump atop the standings after sharing the spoils with bottom side Schalke following a goalless stalemate while Mainz overpowered Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 on the road.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We have put ourselves in a very good position, but we haven't achieved our goals yet," said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n