Fuellkrug hat-trick fires Dortmund to 3-1 Bochum win and into fourth spot

BERLIN : Forward Niclas Fuellkrug scored a hat-trick to earn hosts Borussia Dortmund a 3-1 victory over VfL Bochum in their Ruhr valley derby on Sunday and lift them into the top four with their third straight league win this year.

Germany striker Fuellkrug opened his account with a seventh-minute penalty to put the hosts in front.

They looked in complete control until a series of defensive blunders on the stroke of halftime sent Bochum’s Patrick Osterhage through. His cutback was turned into the Dortmund goal by defender Nico Schlotterbeck for an own goal.

Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko missed several golden chances after the break and it was Fuellkrug who restored order, rising high above two defenders to head in a Marcel Sabitzer cross in the 72nd.

He completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with a second well-taken penalty for his ninth league goal of the season.

The result moves Dortmund into fourth place on 36 points, leaving RB Leipzig in fifth on 33. The top four teams qualify automatically for next season’s Champions League group stage.

VfB Stuttgart are third on 37 following their 5-2 win over Leipzig on Saturday. Bayer Leverkusen are top on 49.