Borussia Dortmund slip to Hertha Berlin defeat to drop further behind Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund fell to a 3-2 defeat to Hertha Berlin as they lost even more ground on Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga.

Two goals from Marco Richter accompanied an Ishak Belfodil equaliser as the visitors failed to capitalise on Julian Brandt's chipped opener.

In a game that delivered plentiful drama and goalmouth action, there were three goals that were chalked off by VAR as the technology again proved a decisive factor in the game's result. Myziane Maolida thought he'd given the hosts the lead on 18 minutes with a well-taken finish at the near post from a Peter Pekarik cross, but Belfodil was adjudged to have been an inch offside as he challenged Witsel ahead of his strike partner.

Erling Haaland was ruled off as he chased Mahmoud Dahoud's poked through pass, and Thorgan Hazard bundled over the Norwegian's delicate clipped finish. Axel Witsel helped the ball over the line from the set piece after an initial Thomas Meunier header, but the Belgian was also flagged with no complaints.

But the goals that did stand will come as a shock to many. Brandt opened the scoring with a lovely finish after excellent vision from Haaland after Dahoud had worked the ball well infield, and Belfodil produced an excellent solo run when isolated down the left as he poked beyond veteran goalkeeper Marwin Hitz.

Richter hit a beautiful shot into the top corner to make it 2-1 after some calamitous defending from the visitors, and more sloppy possession play from Marco Rose's side gave Richter a second and Berlin a third; the attacking midfielder lashing home the rebound after Hitz's initial save from Belfodil.

Dortmund would strike a consolation on 83 minutes: Steffen Tigges' thumping header from a Raphael Guerreiro delivery set the game up for a grandstand finish as the visitors threw the kitchen sink at their hosts, but Hertha held on to seal a crucial three points.

Tayfun Korkut will be delighted with the character shown by his side's second half performance as they climb to 11th in the Bundesliga table and distance themselves from the bubbling relegation battle beneath them, but Borussia Dortmund now find themselves nine points behind Bayern Munich at the top as the title seems to slip away from them before Christmas.

They may well have not had their first-choices in their defensive positions, but when you've still got players like Axel Witsel, Marin Pongrancic and Nico Schulz, you've got to be defending better than Dortmund.

For all three Hertha goals, a Dortmund mistake was at the fore of it: Belfodil was away from Witsel all too easily, but it's hard to take focus away from the space and time Vladimir Darida was afforded in the middle of the park to pick out the striker's run.

Richter was then given too much space and time as he struck gold in the top corner, and he wasn't picked up along with Belfodil as a wayward pass from Brandt was the stem for the decisive, match-winning strike.

The hosts, meanwhile, dogged in their efforts, ground out the three points as both central defenders, Niklas Stark and Jordan Torunarigha, stayed sturdy to keep out Erling Haaland.

Hertha: Schwolow 7, Pekarik 6, Torunarigha 7, Stark 7, Mittelstadt 7, Darida 7, Ascacibar 7, Richter 8, Ekkelenkamp 7, Belfodil 7, Maolida 7, Zeefuik 6, Tousart 7, Gechter 6, Selke 6, Plattenhardt 6.

BVB: Hitz 6, Meunier 7, Witsel 6, Pongrancic 6, Schulz 6, Can 6, Dahoud 6, Malen 5, Reus 5, Brandt 6, Haaland 6, Hazard 6, Zagadou 6, Guerreiro 6, Wolf 6, Tigges 6.

The two goal hero.

The attacking midfielder's performance was complete; he netted the decisive goal at the vital time for the home side, and his defensive efforts out of possession did not go unnoticed as the hosts looked to press Dortmund at times, making the visitors uncomfortable and throwing them off their rhythm.

Two excellent strikes capped off a brilliant display from the German, who will now look to kick on after Christmas and help his side put further distance between them and the relegation places.

16': GOALLL!!! What a shock! Dortmund are punished for not taking their chances as Maolida nets for the hosts, tucking home the Pekarik cross at the near post to make it 1-0! // NO GOAL! Belfodil is adjudged to have been offside, it remains 0-0.

31': GOALLL!!! Dortmund finally get their break, Julian Brandt nets with a delicate chip over Schwolow. It was worked infield by Dahoud into Haaland, and the Norwegian does well to pick out Brandt's perfectly timed run for the German to net his fifth of the season. 1-0.

51': GOALLL!!! It's 1-1! Ishak Belfodil nets his first of the season with a fabulous goal! Chasing onto the pass from Darida, the Algerian was isolated down the left but he showed great pace and then composure to poke it beyond Marwin Hitz, and levelling for the hosts! Hertha are level.

57': GOALLL!!! Ohhh!!! They've done it! They're in front, they've turned it around! Marco Richter with a fantastic strike, giving Hitz no chance as he finds the top corner from outside the area. 2-1, Hertha.

60': NO GOAL! The flag is up, but Dortmund remind everyone of their pace and quality in the transition. The ball ends up bundled into the net as Haaland's chip is put in by Hazard, and VAR are checking this...

69': GOALLL!!! That's 3-1, Richter makes it his second, and Hertha's third as sloppy defending and passing from Dortmund is their downfall: a lazy pass from Brandt is poached by Ekkelenkamp, he finds Belfodil who is initially denied by Hitz, but Richter follows up emphatically to make it three!

83': GOALLL!! Dortmund back in it, a great deliver from Guerreiro, and thumping header Tigges makes an instant impact! Game on!