Quickfire strikes help Dortmund to 3-1 win at Wolfsburg

Borussia Dortmund scored three times in five first-half minutes to beat VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 and claim their first Bundesliga away win of the season, despite going down to 10 men just past the hour, as they moved up to sixth place on Sunday.

Donyell Malen, Maximilian Beier and Julian Brandt scored for Dortmund, who had Pascal Gross sent off after 62 minutes soon after Denis Vavro had pulled a goal back for the hosts.

Dortmund returned to winning ways after three straight draws and moved to 25 points from 15 games to sit in the last European qualifying spot, while Wolfsburg remain 11th with 21.

Bayern Munich, who thrashed RB Leipzig 5-1 on Friday, are top with 36 points, four points clear of Bayer Leverkusen.

It was a slow start at the Volkswagen Arena, with neither side testing the goalkeepers in the opening 20 minutes.

But Malen then marked his return to Dortmund’s starting lineup in style, opening the scoring with a close-range volley following a corner in the 25th minute.

Beier doubled the lead three minutes later with a superb finish off the post before setting up Brandt, who returned after a month out injured and scored on the half-hour.

Wolfsburg’s first clear chance came after the break when substitute Lukas Nmecha drew a great save from Gregor Kobel in a one-on-one situation.

Shortly after they managed to get on the scoresheet with a Vavro header from a corner in the 58th minute.

Dortmund were reduced to 10 men four minutes later as Gross was sent off for a last-man foul on Nmecha, but Wolfsburg were unable to capitalise on their man advantage.