Hoffenheim stuns Dortmund to stay in Champions League hunt

Andrej Kramaric converted two penalties as TSG Hoffenheim beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at home in the 30th round of the Bundesliga on Saturday, keeping alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Hoffenheim had taken only two points from its previous four matches but started sharply and controlled much of the first half. Fisnik Asllani offered an early warning, Tim Lemperle hit the bar and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel had to react quickly as Hoffenheim repeatedly found threatening positions.

Dortmund struggled to create sustained danger against a well-organized Hoffenheim defense. Daniel Svensson headed over and Maximilian Beier narrowly failed to connect with a Fabio Silva delivery, but the visitors lacked precision in the final third. At the other end, Kobel denied Kramaric, while Niklas Sule was forced into several important interventions.

The turning point came shortly before halftime after a VAR review. Sule, who had slipped while blocking, was penalized for handball, and Kramaric converted to give Hoffenheim a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute. Sule was unable to continue and was replaced by Ramy Bensebaini.

Dortmund returned with greater urgency after halftime, yet Hoffenheim remained compact and disciplined. Ozan Kabak went close with a header, and Kobel then blocked Svensson after Marcel Sabitzer played him through.

The visitors finally drew level in the 87th minute when substitute Serhou Guirassy fired in from around 18 meters after a sharp pass from Bensebaini.

But the game turned again in stoppage time. Following another VAR check, this time for a handball by Julia Ryerson, Kramaric stepped up once more and converted in the eighth minute of added time to seal the win. Julian Brandt missed the final chance from a free-kick.

The victory lifted Hoffenheim to fifth, two points behind fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart, while Dortmund remains runner-up and is still well placed for direct Champions League qualification with a 10-point cushion over Hoffenheim.

Elsewhere, third-placed RB Leipzig beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1. Leverkusen's 2-1 defeat to Augsburg dented their top-four hopes. Werder Bremen won the northern derby 3-1 against Hamburg, while relegation-threatened Wolfsburg claimed a vital 2-1 victory at Union Berlin. On Friday, St. Pauli and Cologne drew 1-1.