Second-half goals from Julian Brandt and Moukoko gave Erdin Terzic’s men all three points against struggling visitors who remain in the relegation battle.
After their midweek Champions League exertions, Borussia Dortmund were able to see off a stubborn Hertha Berlin side on Saturday and keep their hopes for qualifying for next season’s showpiece tournament alive.
The home side began the game with the trio of Thorgan Hazard, Marco Reus and Erling Haaland, but struggled to recapture the fluid attacking play that sent them two up in the opening nine minutes last week against Bayern Munich. But in the end, thanks to a super strike from Julian Brandt, and a late red-card to Vladimir Darida, they were able to take all three points home.
Edin Terzic’s side had their first chance of the game in the 13th minute, but Marco Reus could not convert a Mateu Morey cross, sending the ball over the ball from a good scoring position.
The Dortmund captain came close again in the 18th minute but was unlucky as his brilliant free-kick from the edge of the box hit the bar.
Jude Bellingham was the next to try his luck, but Rune Jarstein expertly saved his 34th-minute effort. The keeper did enough to keep the scores at nil-nil as both sides went into the break.
But shortly after the break, the Berlin keeper was beaten as he could do nothing as Julian Brandt‘s rocket shot in the 54th minute sent the hosts ahead. The goal was cruel for Hertha Berlin, who had done enough up to that time to contain the hosts and reduce their chance on target to just three.
And the visitors’ misery was compounded further in the 81st minute after Vladimir Darida was sent off for a reckless tackle. With the numerical advantage, BVB pressed for a winner and were rewarded with a goal in the first minute of extra time through Youssoufa Moukoko.
The youngster who came on as an 86th-minute substitute for Marco Reus did not waste time to introduce himself as he fired his side two goals up with a superb left-footed strike after working some space for himself in the box. The goal was his third for the first Dortmund first team in the Bundesliga this season.
