Youssoufa Moukoko came off the bench to score the winner in a 2-1 victory for Borussia Dortmund over Union Berlin to keep them firmly in the title race.

Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Malen 28' (assist: Guerreiro), 1-1 Behrens 61 (assist: Becker), 2-1 Moukoko (79')

Dortmund’s hopes were dented by the Klassiker defeat by Bayern Munich last weekend, and this fixture against a strong, third-placed Union side threatened to be another banana skin. The visitors certainly hoped so as they enjoyed the better start, fiercely pinning BVB deep inside their own half initially. Edin Terzic’s men weathered that early storm, however, and gradually took control of proceedings, looking dangerous out wide with Karim Adeyemi, Julian Ryerson and Raphael Guerreiro. The latter was involved in Dortmund’s deserved opening goal when he whipped a low ball from the left across the face of goal for Donyell Malen to prod in at the back post. Sebastien Haller had a header well saved by Frederik Ronnow and Malen fizzed another shot narrowly wide as the hosts pushed for a second, but there were no more goals before the interval.

There was far greater purpose from Union in the second half as they went full-blooded into tackles, although they still flattered to deceive in the final third. That all changed around the hour mark when Dortmund were caught out by a long ball forward, which Kevin Behrens flicked on to Sheraldo Becker, who touched it back to him to finish from 12 yards. Dortmund responded well and after Julian Brandt was denied by Ronnow, Terzic brought on Marco Reus and Moukoko in an effort to force the issue. It worked. Both substitutes were involved, as Reus charged forward on the edge of the area only to lose possession, but Moukoko pounced on the loose ball, rounded Ronnow and squeezed a shot in from a tight angle to keep BVB just two points off Bayern.

Match stats

• Guerreiro has had a direct hand in 11 goals in his last seven league appearances.
• This was Terzic's 50th Bundesliga game as head coach. He now has 32 wins, five draws and 13 defeats.
• Union coach Urs Fischer took charge of his 200th competitive game for the club.
• Malen now has four goals this season, all of which have come in his last six appearances, and all since Matchday 21.
• Dortmund have scored in each of their last 47 Bundesliga home games, extending the club record.
• Moukoko became the youngest player ever to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances, doing so at the age of 18 years, 139 days. He replaces Florian Wirtz, who held the previous record at 18 years, 226 days.

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Watch: Youssoufa Moukoko talks "striker's instinct"

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Teams

Dortmund: Kobel - Ryerson, Süle, Hummels (c), Guerreiro - Bellingham, Can, Brandt (Özcan 84') - Adeyemi (Bynoe-Gittens 69'), Haller (Moukoko 74'), Malen (Reus 74')
Unused subs: Meyer, Meunier, Coulibaly, Dahoud, Modeste
Out: Duranville (thigh), Haller (knee), Morey (match fitness), Schlotterbeck (thigh), Wolf (illness)
Coach: Edin Terzic

Union: Ronnow - Doekhi, Knoche (Pantovic 84'), Jaeckel - Juranovic, Thorsby (Seguin 62'), Khedira (c), Haberer (Jordan 84'), Gießelmann - Becker (Michel 74'), Behrens (Leweling 62')
Unused subs: Grill, Trimmel, Leite, Laidouni
Out: Schäfer (foot)
Coach: Urs Fischer

Watch: Donyell Malen: "We're still in the title race!"

About the clubs

Borussia Dortmund

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1. FC Union Berlin

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