Michy Batshuayi (R) of Dortmund celebrates after scoring during the Bundesliga match against Stuttgart at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, on April 8, 2018. Dortmund won 3-0. (Xinhua/Joachim Bywaletz)
BERLIN , April 8 (Xinhua) -- Borussia Dortmund cruised to a 3-0 victory and ended Stuttgart's eight-game unbeaten streak at the 29th round in Bundesliga on Sunday.
The "BVB" reduced the gap to runner up and local rivals Schalke after beating Stuttgart on the goals from Christian Pulisic, Michy Batshuayi and Maximilian Philippon on home soil.
Both sides staged a slow and cautious start into the encounter. Hence, goal-scoring opportunities remained a rare occurrence in the first 30 minutes.
Stuttgart were the better team on the pitch but the visitors lacked in ideas to create clear-cut chances. Meanwhile the hosts failed to pose any kind of threat within the first 45 minutes.
However, things changed out of the blue as Christian Pulisic'sintended cross ended up in Stuttgart's far post corner of the goal to open the scoring against the run of the play with 38 minutes played.
The opener gave the hosts a boost of inspiration as Peter Stoeger'smen doubled their advantage with three minutes into the second half when Michy Batsuhayiexchanged a one-two with NuriSahin to slot home from inside the box.
Stuttgart was shocked and they never recovered as Maximilian Philippsealed the deal at the hour mark after tapping home his own rebound from close range to round off the 3-0 victory.
With the result, Dortmund continue on the 3rd place, only one point adrift of runner up Schalke, whereas Stuttgart slipped to the 9th position after suffering the 13th loss of the season.
"We did not gain a foothold into the game in the first half. In the second half the team implemented our strategy. We were thus satisfied with the second half," Dortmund's head coach Peter Stoeger said.
"We played a very good first half. Especially in the first 30 minutes we dominated and gave Dortmund a tough time. However, we did not make the most out of our chances," Stuttgart's head coach Tayfun Korkutsaid.
Elsewhere, Hoffenheim held Eintracht Frankfurt to a 1-1 draw as Serge Gnabry cancelled out Luka Jovic's second-half opener.
The draw lifts Frankfurt on the 4th position while Hoffenheim stay on the 7th place of the standings.
Leipzig face Bayer Leverkusen to conclude the 29th round in Bundesliga on Monday.
