Borussia Dortmund deservedly beat Bayer Leverkusen 6-2 (0-0) in a close-fought encounter on Matchday 23 as they extended their unbeaten run at Signal Iduna Park to 32 Bundesliga matches and cut the gap to second-placed RB Leipzig to six points.

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting

The 80,100 fans at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK – 1,400 away tickets were not sold – witnessed a dominant performance from the Black and Yellows, who used their pace to good effect in the first period and raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Dembélé (6) and Aubameyang (26). The game sparked into life after the interval, with Volland quickly pulling one back for Bayer (48) before Aubameyang re-established the hosts' two-goal advantage (70). Wendell then reduced the deficit once again from a free-kick (74), but BVB found the net three times in the final 15 minutes – Pulisic (77), Schürrle (85, pen.) and Guerreiro (90+2) – to run out 6-2 winners.

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The scenario:
BVB had lost only one of their previous ten Bundesliga matches and, with a tally of 13 points in 2017, were second only to Bayern Munich (14) since the winter break. Bayer went into this one in eighth, with nine victories, three draws and ten defeats this season.

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Erik Durm made the starting XI for the second week in a row.

Personnel matters:
Thomas Tuchel, who was still without Bender (torn lateral collateral ligament), Götze (metabolic disorder) and Rode (groin op) but otherwise had a full squad to choose from, opted to field the same XI that started the 3-0 win in Freiburg last weekend. Leverkusen were without Tah (fibre tear in the thigh) and Calhanoglu (CAS verdict).

Tactics:
Borussia lined up in a 3-2-3-2 formation in which Reus operated in the hole behind Aubameyang and Castro played a slightly more offensive role than defensive midfield partner Weigl when the hosts had the ball. Leverkusen opted for a 4-3-3 system with a front three of Havertz, Volland and Mehmedi – who constantly switched positions – and a defensive midfield trio of Aranguiz, Lars Bender and Kampl, who was heavily involved in Bayer's build-up play and repeatedly drove the visitors forward. Having conceded a second and replaced Aranguiz with Bellarabi in the 38th minute, the Werkself switched to a 4-4-2 with Mehmedi (left) and Bellarabi (right) in the wide positions and Havertz alongside Volland up top.

The match & analysis:
It was a close-fought affair from the first whistle at Signal Iduna Park, where petty fouls and disruptions repeatedly broke up the play. BVB nonetheless managed to make a superb start and took the lead with their first clear-cut chance of the match. It all started when Aubameyang's attempt to close down a Bayer clearance on the left wing was deflected into the path of Castro, who picked out Piszczek in a central position. Though the Pole's pass into the box was blocked by Aranguiz, Dembélé gathered the loose ball and sidestepped a defender before drilling a low effort into the bottom left corner from 16 metres out to open the scoring. The hosts remained in the ascendancy after breaking the deadlock, limiting Bayer's attacking threat to one chance in the 14th minute, when a Volland effort was blocked by Weigl and went behind for a corner.

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Dembélé celebrates netting the opener.

Aubameyang doubles the advantage 20 minutes later

At the other end Borussia came close when Reus played in Aubameyang in the tenth minute, though the Gabon international was unable to trouble Leno in the Leverkusen goal, then Dembélé forced his way through down the right-hand side of the box but was denied by a combination of Leno and the side-netting. However, the hosts found the net again in the 26th minute, when a Marco Reus corner was headed goalbound by Bartra. The ball deflected off Jedvaj and into the path of Aubameyang, who fired home from close range to double the advantage (26). Only five minutes later the Gabon international had the opportunity to put the game beyond Bayer's reach when Dembélé picked him out in a completely unmarked position, but the centre-forward failed to get the necessary connection on the ball (31). The only negative in a very positive first 45 minutes for BVB came shortly before the interval when Reus went down under a challenge from Bayer defender Jedvaj. The Dortmund captain could be seen clutching the back of his thigh as he hobbled towards the touchline to be replaced by Pulisic.

Bayer boss Roger Schmidt's men came racing out of the blocks after the interval and took full advantage of a BVB side that appeared to have switched off in the opening minutes of the second period. It was Volland who made the breakthrough, beating Sokratis down the left before thundering a powerful effort into the top corner of Bürki's goal from seven metres (48). The hosts were not rattled for long, though. Only ten minutes had passed since Volland's strike when Dembélé, Pulisic and Aubameyang all bore down on Leno's goal in a three on one. The Frenchman easily beat Jedvaj in the penalty area but then squandered an excellent chance to re-establish BVB's two-goal lead, firing high and wide rather than picking out the better-positioned Pulisic in the centre. A short while later, Leno parried Pulisic's effort from a centre-right position away for a corner (66).

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Pulisic clinches the win

Despite the setback, Borussia Dortmund continued to pour forward and finally got the third goal a short while later following a Guerreiro free-kick. The versatile Portuguese lofted a high ball towards the far post, where Dembélé curled it back across for Aubameyang, who was left with the simple task of nodding the ball over the line from close range (70). But Leverkusen were not done yet and reduced the arrears four minutes later when Wendell curled a free-kick past the outstretched hands of Bürki. The Black and Yellows responded by going on the offensive, Castro playing the ball down the right flank to Durm, whose cross was met by Pulisic on the penalty spot to make it 4-2 (77). With minutes remaining Schürrle was then brought down by Wendell in the box and coolly converted the ensuing penalty (85), before Guerreiro rounded off the victory by fizzing a low, left-footed effort into the far corner from nine metres to make it 6-2 (90+2).

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Prospects:
On Wednesday (8/3, 20:45 CET) BVB face the task of turning round a 1-0 first-leg deficit when they host Benfica in the UEFA Champions League last-16 return leg. Next Saturday (11/3, 15:30 CET) they resume their Bundesliga campaign away to Hertha BSC.

Teams & goals