Soccer-Dortmund cruise past Hanover to go nine points clear

Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund scored three times in seven minutes to demolish lowly Hanover 96 5-1 on Saturday and move nine points clear at the top of the table. Dortmund captain Marco Reus hit the post and Raphael Guerreiro also went close in the first half before Achraf Hakimi thundered in to give the hosts the lead in the 24th minute.

The Morocco international set up Reus for his 12th league goal of the season in the 60th minute before Dortmund turned on the afterburners, scoring twice more through Goetze two minutes later and Guerreiro in the 67th to leave the Hanover defence in tatters. Marvin Bakalorz snatched a consolation goal for the visitors in the 86th minute after a superb solo run and a deflected effort before Axel Witsel completed Dortmund's win in the 90th.

The Ruhr valley club, who take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League next month, are now on 48 points, nine ahead of second-placed Bayern Munich, who host VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. Borussia Moenchengladbach joined them on 39 points after their 2-0 win over Augsburg. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann Editing by Toby Davis)