Karim Adeyemi and Jude Bellingham inspire Borussia Dortmund to comfortable win over Wolfsburg

Dortmund 6-0 Wolfsburg

Goals: 1-0 Adeyemi 14’, 2-0 Haller (assist: Adeyemi) 29’, 3-0 Malen (assist: Brandt) 37’, 4-0 Bellingham 54’, 5-0 Adeyemi (assist: Haller) 59’, 6-0 Bellingham (assist: Brandt) 86'

Dortmund immediately set about getting the win they needed to keep the pressure on Bayern Munich at the top of the table, and they did not have to wait long either before opening the scoring. Adeyemi rose to head in Ryerson’s deflected cross with less than 15 minutes on the clock. Gregory Kobel came to Dortmund’s rescue to deny Wolfsburg's Patrick Wimmer, but Dortmund could and perhaps should have doubled their lead midway through the first half. Adeyemi sent Donyell Malen clean through on Koen Casteels’ goal, but he altruistically sought out Bellingham rather than going it alone, and overhit his pass to the Englishman. An equally selfless gesture from Adeyemi had the desired result on the half-hour mark when he teed up Sebastien Haller for a simple tap-in to double Dortmund’s lead. Julian Brandt was next to lay a goal on a golden platter, teeing up Malen for Dortmund’s third, effectively sealing victory before half-time.

The Westphalians did not seem happy with just that, though. Marius Wolf weaved a way into the box for a chance early in the second half, with Brandt’s effort moments later forcing a corner. Niklas Süle drove a low shot wide as Dortmund wasted chances to double their lead in just five second-half minutes. Bellingham finally found a fourth with his shot touched onto the crossbar by Casteels before bouncing back into the goal. Haller teed up Adeyemi for his second and Dortmund’s fifth of the game without even an hour on the clock, and a penalty for a foul on Bellingham provided the opportunity for a sixth, but Adeyemi squandered the chance to complete his hat-trick by sending the ball over the crossbar. Marco Reus went close with a free-kick, before Bellingham latched onto another Brandt assist and finished with aplomb as Dortmund narrowed the gap to Bayern heading into the final three games of a tantalising title tussle.

Match stats

• Malen now has seven goals in his last seven outings – more than any other player over the same span of games.
• Dortmund have scored at least once in their past 17 games and in their last 49 at home.
• All of Adeyemi’s six goals and five assists have come in 2023.
• BVB are the division's best home team, with wins in their last 10 and 40 points all told (W13, D1, L1).
• The Wolves are winless on their last 10 trips to Dortmund.
• This was the visitors' joint-heaviest Bundesliga history (they have twice succumbed to Bayern by the same scoreline).