Dortmund rout Wolfsburg to go top in Germany

The 5-1 thrashing leaves Thomas Tuchel’s men top on goals scored

BERLIN: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice on Tuesday as Borussia Dortmund romped to another big win with a 5-1 victory at VfL Wolfsburg to temporarily top the German league table.

Having hammered both Legia Warsaw and Darmstadt 6-0 in their previous matches, Thomas Tuchel’s Dortmund handed out another drubbing with Gonzalo Castro setting up two of their goals.

The thrashing leaves Dortmund top on goals scored, with nine points from a possible 12, a status they will lose on Wednesday when Bayern Munich host Hertha Berlin.

The only teams still with 100 per cent records meet at Munich’s Allianz Arena with Hertha chasing their first league win in Bavaria since 1977.



It was another bad night for Wolfsburg, who have won only once in four games so far, and new signing Mario Gomez.

The Germany striker has yet to score since joining from Fiorentina and was repeatedly denied by Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.

Dortmund needed just four minutes to take the lead at the Volkswagen Arena when centre-back Marc Bartra threaded his pass through the Wolfsburg defence.

Portugal midfielder Raphael Guerreiro sprinted onto the perfect pass and drilled his shot inside the near post.

Dortmund doubled their lead on 17 minutes when Aubameyang looped his shot over Wolfsburg goalkeeper Koen Casteels. But Wolfsburg dragged their way back into the match.



Burki blocked left-back Ricardo Rodriguez's powerfully struck free-kick with half-time approaching and then Wolfsburg deservedly pulled a goal back just after the break.

Moments after Gomez was again denied by Burki's point-blank save, Daniel Didavi met Paul Seguin's superb cross and drilled his shot just inside the near post on 53 minutes.

But Dortmund hit their third five minutes later when Castro pulled two defenders out of position to allow winger Ousmane Dembele a simple tap-in.

Castro then sprinted into the area and squared to Aubameyang, who slid his shot inside the far post on 62 minutes, before Lukasz Piszczek added Dortmund's fifth with a powerful header.

Eintracht Frankfurt moved up to fourth with their third win from four games as defender David Abraham and Bastian Oczipka netted in their 2-0 victory at Ingolstadt.



Newly promoted Freiburg inflicted a third straight defeat on Hamburg, who are third from bottom, as ex-Bayern Munich striker Nils Petersen scored the second-half winner.

Hoffenheim picked up a fourth draw after their 1-1 with Darmstadt when Croatia striker Andrej Kramaric's goal was cancelled out by Darmstadt's Denys Oliinyk in the 92nd minute.

On Wednesday, unbeaten RB Leipzig host Champions League side Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Schalke 04 are desperate for points at home to Cologne after three straight defeats to leave them second from bottom.

Bottom side Werder Bremen host Mainz having sacked coach Viktor Skripnik on Sunday after three straight defeats.