Guirassy ends drought as Dortmund beat Bremen; Stuttgart, Mainz win

Serhou Guirassy scored his first Bundesliga goal in more than two months as Borussia Dortmund defeated Werder Bremen 3-0 on Tuesday and finished the first half of the Bundesliga season in second place.

Captain Nico Schlotterbeck in the 11th, Marcel Sabitzer in the 76th and substitute Guirassy in the 83rd secured full points in an at first unconvincing performance.

Dortmund moved four points clear of VfB Stuttgart who earlier rose to third with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt from Nikolas Nartey's late winner.

Mainz meanwhile left the bottom of the standings for third last with a 2-1 over now last placed Heidenheim. Silvan Widmer's volley after a mistake from Heidenheim goalkeeper Diant Ramaj and Nadiem Amiri ended a run of 12 games without victory and secured a first season home win. Stefan Schimmer scored for Heidenheim.

The day's other game between SV Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen was cancelled owing to security concerns around thaw after winter weather.

The remaining games are Wednesday and Thursday, with runaway leaders Bayern Munich at Cologne on Wednesday where they can restore their 11-point advantage.

Dortmund not glorious

Dortmund will be happy with a tally of 37 points but the day's performance after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Frankfurt on Friday was disappointing and fans voiced their discontent at half-time.

"I don't know if that is helpful but in the end of they celebrated us," Sabitzer told Sky TV in reference to the fans' reaction.

But he conceded that "the first half wasn't our best. But that's part of it. We are happy with the 3-0 win but there is room for improvement."

Bremen, whose first game of the year against Hoffenheim was postponed due to winter weather, started lively and had chances from Justin Njinmah who however twice failed to get past goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Dortmund took the lead in-between from Schlotterbeck's unmarked header off Julian Ryerson's corner kick.

Chances were sparse from then on before Dortmund tried to improve after the break. The goals finally came from Sabitzer from the edge of the area and from Guirassy after Jobe Bellingham had blocked a pass from Bremen defender Amos Pieper.

Guirassy was not in the starting 11 but came on the 67th and recorded his first Bundesliga goal since October 31 and sixth of the season.

Entertainment in Stuttgart

Stuttgart had impressed with a 4-1 in Leverkusen on Saturday and so had Frankfurt against Dortmund, and their duel on Tuesday did not disappoint either.

"It was a very wild game. This should give us a push for upcoming tasks," striker Deniz Undav said.

Frankfurt took a fifth-minute lead from Rasmus Kristensen's looping header into the far corner off a corner kick but Stuttgart soon turned around matters.

They were level in the 27th when Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos fumbled a cross and Ermedin Demirovic, starting for the first time since October due to injury, converted the loose ball.

Eight minutes later German international Undav completed the comeback with a deflected shot for a 10th season goal.

Frankfurt's Ansgar Knauff rattled the crossbar with a stunning volley and their equalizer came in the 80th minute when newly-signed Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab struck three minutes after coming on for his league debut.

But Stuttgart had other ideas and their substitute Nartey also netted his maiden Bundesliga goal for the 87th minute winner.

Santos had earlier redeemed himself with two huge saves against Undaz while Stuttgart counterpart Alexander Nübel preserved the three points with a pair of late saves against Aranud Kalimuendo.