Borussia Dortmund secured their fifth win in a row with a hard-fought victory over TSG Hoffenheim on Sunday.
The German giants, who have struggled for form recently, took the lead through Jadon Sancho early in the first half before Marco Reus doubled their advantage just after the hour mark.
But Hoffenheim refused to give up and fought back valiantly in the second half, creating several chances to score. However, it was Dortmund who came out on top, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring his 18th goal of the season from close range to secure all three points for the home side.
Reus, who scored the second goal for Dortmund, spoke about how important it was to keep fighting against Hoffenheim despite being down to ten men for much of the game.
"We knew it would be tough but we had to fight until the end," he said. "We showed great character and determination and that's what I'm proud of."
For Hoffenheim, it was a disappointing result as they continue to struggle in the Bundesliga. They now face the prospect of a difficult run of fixtures ahead, including matches against RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, which will make it even more challenging for them to maintain their current level of form.
Despite the setback, Hoffenheim coach Hansi Flick is not giving up hope and believes his team can bounce back. "We're disappointed but there's still time to turn things around," he said.
In the meantime, Dortmund will look to consolidate their position at the top of the table, while Hoffenheim will need to find a way to improve their performances if they want to avoid further disappointment.