In-form Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt scored a freak first-half goal to secure a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim on Saturday and send his side three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Just before half-time, Dortmund captain Marco Reus swung in a free-kick from just outside the box to Brandt, who looked to be trying to get out of the way, but the ball skimmed off his back and into the net.

Brandt, who was named Bundesliga player of the month on Thursday, has now scored in five consecutive matches for Dortmund, who are on a nine-match winning streak.

He said his side "pushed our luck a bit" but declared the victory was a "strong snapshot" of where the team is right now.

"In the past we've often lost games like that," he said.

After the break, Dortmund midfielder Emre Can's clumsy challenge on Hoffenheim midfielder Kevin Akpoguma inside the box survived a VAR review, despite the former Liverpool player clearly clipping his opponent's heel.

Dortmund winger Marius Wolf looked to have doubled his side's lead after 57 minutes when he struck a lifting ball past 'keeper Oliver Baumann, but the goal was ruled out for a foul at the other end of the pitch in the build up.

Hoffenheim's Fisnik Asllani had a late chance to equalise when Angelino found him unmarked a metre from Dortmund's goal, but the striker headed just wide.

Bayern Munich and Union Berlin, both three points behind Dortmund, will have a chance to cut the lead when they meet on Sunday in the Bavarian capital.