The Japan Times - Dortmund down Frankfurt to push Riera close to the edge

Frankfurt starlet Can Uzun scored after just two minutes but Dortmund hit back with two goals in five minutes through Serhou Guirassy and Nico Schlotterbeck to take the lead at half-time.

Dortmund's 18-year-old forward Samuele Inacio added a third, his first Bundesliga goal, midway through the second-half to wrap up victory for the hosts, before Jonathan Burkardt grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.

Former Liverpool and Spain winger Riera, who took over as coach in February, has won one of his past seven games and arrived in Dortmund reportedly fighting to keep his job.

Frankfurt qualified for the Champions League last season but now sit eighth, a point behind Europa League finalists Freiburg who are in the Europa Conference League spot and have a game in hand.

The win also guaranteed Dortmund would finish second behind Bayern Munich this season. Dortmund have now finished second eight times in 14 seasons since they last won the Bundesliga in 2011-12, all behind Bayern.

Former Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud set up Uzun's superb curling opener just two minutes in.

The hosts struck back with two goals before the break however. With 42 minutes gone, Guirassy converted a Julian Ryerson pass, the Norwegian's 14th assist of the season.

Jobe Bellingham held up the ball in the first minute of stoppage time, finding Maximilian Beier who crossed for Schlotterbeck to score.

Bellingham helped create Dortmund's third, once again finding Beier in traffic who chipped back for Inacio to hammer home.

Germany forward Burkardt pulled one back for Frankfurt with three minutes remaining but Dortmund held on for victory.

In the dying moments, Dortmund brought on former Germany centre-back Niklas Suele, who will retire at the end of the season.

T.Ueda--JT