Dortmund edges Hoffenheim to climb off bottom of Bundesliga

Dortmund, Germany (SportsNetwork.com) - Borussia Dortmund grabbed a much- needed victory on Friday as Ilkay Gundogan's 17th-minute goal was enough to help the club to a 1-0 home win over Hoffenheim.

Dortmund entered the match on the bottom of the league having won just once in its last 10 league fixtures, but Gundogan's goal helped the side move out of the bottom three and two points clear of the relegation places, while Hoffenheim failed to climb into the top four after suffering its fourth defeat in five games.

The home side looked up for the match on Friday and started well, with Hoffenheim doing its best to keep things tight at the back.

But the defense was breached in the 17th minute when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found space to loft a cross to the far post for Gundogan, who coasted in to head home his first league goal since April 2013.

Mats Hummels made an important block on Hoffenheim's Sebastian Rudy to keep out the equalizer, while Aubameyang had a goal ruled out for Dortmund that would have doubled his team's lead.

Dortmund continued to have the better of the play and Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann did well to tip a shot from Aubameyang off the post, keeping his side in the match.

However, Hoffenheim was unable to muster an equalizer and Dortmund will now hope to push on and use the win to kick-start a revival.