Borussia Dortmund climbed off the bottom of the Bundesliga on Saturday with their first win in seven matches as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in a 3-0 win at Freiburg.
German star Marco Reus gave Dortmund an early lead before Gabon winger Aubameyang added two second-half goals in Dortmund’s first win since the start of December.
Dortmund now face mid-table Mainz and strugglers Stuttgart in the league before Italian league leaders Juventus away in the last 16 of the Champions League on February 24.
“We must keep believing things will move forward after three or four months in which they didn’t. Today was a step in the right direction,” said relieved Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.
The result lifted Borussia Dortmund to 16th, while Freiburg slip to 17th, still leaving both teams in the drop zone with the former out to avoid their first relegation since 1972.
Freiburg got off to the worst possible start when midfielder Mike Frantz played a poor back pass which was snapped up by Aubameyang.
The fleet-footed winger drew Freiburg goalkeeper Roman Burki and squared for Reus to tap into an empty net with nine minutes gone.
Aubameyang then darted onto Ilkay Gundogan’s superb through ball and planted his shot past Burki on 56 minutes.
His second followed on 72 minutes when he fired home after some superb passing from Dortmund’s midfield trio of Reus, Shinji Kagawa and Jakob Blaszczykowski.
Leaders Bayern Munich continued their march to a third straight title with a 2-0 win at Stuttgart, which saw Huub Stevens' side drop to bottom of the table.
“It was very important to score just before half-time. I’m happy for both myself and the team – it was important to get a win today,” said Bayern goal-scorer Arjen Robben.
Bayern’s win was their first in three matches having been thrashed 4-1 at Wolfsburg just over a week ago.
Robben scored his second goal in as many games when he fired home from 13 metres out just before the half-time break to give Pep Guardiola’s side the lead.
Left-back David Alaba then drilled home a superb free-kick from 30 metres out to make it 2-0 with 50 minutes gone.
Bayern stay eight points clear of second-placed Wolfsburg who gave Germany winger Andre Schurrle his debut after he moved from Chelsea in a 3-0 win at home to Hoffenheim.
Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne claimed two goals in the impressive display.
Schurrle needed just three minutes to make his mark when his pin-point accurate cross was met by Bas Dost for the Dutch striker to fire home his fourth goal in four games.
Schurrle clattered the crossbar with a shot on 28 minutes, but De Bruyne headed home the rebound.
Dost then turned provider for De Bruyne to claim his eighth goal of the season – his fifth in the last three games – in what is proving a productive campaign for the 23-year-old.
Hertha Berlin bounced back from the sacking of coach Jos Luhukay on Thursday with an impressive display which lifted them out of the bottom three after their 2-0 win at ten-man Mainz.
With Hungary national team coach Pal Dardai now at the helm, the visitors took the lead when Jens Hegler netted a 35th-minute penalty after former Manchester City goalkeeper Loris Karius was sent off.
Hertha doubled their lead on 43 minutes when Roy Beerens slotted home after Valentin Stocker had hit the post to leave Berlin 14th.
Hamburg continued their march up the table to go 11th after their second consecutive victory with a 2-1 win at home to Hannover.
Hannover’s Brazilian defender Marcelo gave Hamburg the lead when he turned the ball into his own net after 26 minutes.
Ex-Germany midfielder Marcell Jansen added Hamburg’s second on 50 minutes before Poland striker Artur Sobiech scored Hannover’s consolation with just over 20 minutes left.
Hannover are eighth despite being winless in their last four games.
Paderborn dropped to just above the relegation spots after their goalless draw at Cologne while Schalke went third on Friday with a 1-0 home win against Borussia Monchengladbach.
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