The Japan Times - Fuellkrug hat-trick sends Dortmund past Bochum and into top four

Fuellkrug opened the scoring from the spot just six minutes in but Bochum equalised late in the first half thanks to an own goal from Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck.

Fuellkrug headed Dortmund back into the lead midway through the second period, before adding another from the spot in injury time.

Dortmund, who started 2024 six points off the Champions League places, have now leapfrogged RB Leipzig into the top four. Dortmund are just one point behind third-placed Stuttgart.

Fuellkrug gave Dortmund the best possible start, converting an early penalty after Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann fouled Donyell Malen in the box.

Unconvincing but in control, Dortmund allowed Bochum back into the game, Schlotterbeck scoring a comical own goal to level the scores.

With Dortmund 'keeper Alex Meyer waiting to collect a harmless Bochum cross, Schlotterbeck slid to block the ball, directing it into his own net.

Teenage striker Youssoufa Moukoko went close to scoring twice but it was Fuellkrug who put Dortmund back in front, heading in a cross after some excellent work from English winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

Bynoe-Gittens then won a late penalty, which Fuellkrug converted for his third Bundesliga hat-trick.

The loss leaves Bochum two places above the relegation spots, but Thomas Letsch's side still have an eight-point buffer.

- Union go clear of drop -

A second-half goal from Benedict Hollerbach gave Union Berlin a narrow 1-0 home win over rock-bottom Darmstadt, lifting them five points clear of the relegation zone.

Union played with manager Nenad Bjelica watching from the stands due to a three-match suspension for pushing Leroy Sane in the face during Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich.

Hollerbach made the difference for the home side, controlling an Andras Schaefer pass and shooting through the legs of 'keeper Marcel Schuhen to open the scoring after 62 minutes.

"We had plenty of chances but weren't that efficient," Hollerbach told DAZN. "But at the end of the day it was definitely deserved, we were dominant."

Union have taken 10 points from their past six games to create a gap between themselves and the bottom three.

They also have a game in hand, to be played in early February against struggling Mainz.

Despite the win, more worries may be on the horizon in the German capital.

Before the match, sporting director Oliver Ruhnert refused to guarantee Bjelica would return to the dugout due to his altercation with Sane, saying Union were "very unhappy with the action and did not agree with it in any way."

Bjelica has only been in the job since November, when he replaced Urs Fischer who left with Union in relegation danger.

Y.Kato--JT