Dortmund hit five, while rivals stutter

Borussia Dortmund may be struggling in the UEFA Champions League but are firing on all cylinders on the domestic scene as evidenced by their 5-0 defeat of 1. FC Köln.

Jürgen Klopp's side, who suffered a second successive defeat in Europe on Wednesday, raced into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to goals by Shinji Kagawa, Marcel Schmelzer and Robert Lewandowski. The Polish international doubled his tally five minutes into the second half and Sebastian Kehl ensured a comfortable fourth consecutive league victory for the German champions, who have narrowed the gap on leaders FC Bayern München, to three points. Bayern travel to Hannover 96 on Sunday.

Like SV Werder Bremen, who had missed the chance to move on to 19 points on Friday after being held 1-1 at FC Augsburg, VfB Stuttgart and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach also slipped two points behind Dortmund. Stuttgart had to twice come from behind to draw 2-2 at 1. FC Nürnberg while Mönchengladbach were sunk by Vedad Ibišević's solitary strike at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Elsewhere, 1. FC Kaisersuatern were 1-0 winners against SC Freiburg, Hertha BSC Berlin were held 0-0 by 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Hamburger SV also drew, 1-1, against VfL Wolsburg.