Fullkrug hat-trick earns Dortmund another solid win
Borussia Dortmund moved into the top four of the Bundesliga after a Niclas Fullkrug hat-trick inspired a 3-1 win over Bochum in the Ruhr Valley derby at Signal Iduna Park.
It was Dortmund's third straight league win in 2024, a run that has lifted it into the UEFA Champions League places and now three points clear of RB Leipzig, which lost to Stuttgart at the weekend, the team above Dortmund in third place.
Fullkrug opened the scoring with a seventh-minute penalty but the scores were level at half-time after Bochum's Patrick Osterhage was sent free. His cutback was turned into the Dortmund goal by defender Nico Schlotterbeck for an own goal.
Youssoufa Moukoko missed several chances for the hosts after the break, but it was Fullkrug who restored order, heading home Marcel Sabitzer's cross to make it 2-1 on 72 minutes.
The Germany striker completed his hat-trick in stoppage-time when Jamie Bynoe-Gittens won a second penalty for the home side, and Fullkrug again made no mistake for his ninth league goal of the season.
