Union Berlin moved five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table after taking another major scalp by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at the Alten Forsterei.
The visit of Edin Terzic’s side was a major test to the credentials of the surprise early pace-setters in Germany’s top flight, but they passed with flying colours thanks to a first-half brace from Janik Haberer.
Union are now five points above second-placed Freiburg and seven points above reigning champions Bayern Munich, ahead of the meeting of those two sides later on Sunday.
Dortmund, however, are languishing in eighth place after suffering their fourth defeat of the season and failing to take a big chance to close the gap to the top positions.
They got off to a disastrous start when goalkeeper Gregor Kobel slipped as he attempted to clear a back-pass, allowing Haberer to pounce and tap in the opening goal after eight minutes.
Union didn’t need long to extend their lead, as Sheraldo Becker laid off a cross to Haberer, who drilled a shot into the bottom corner to put the jubilant hosts 2-0 up inside 21 minutes.
Dortmund dominated possession but barely threatened before the break, leading Terzic to make a triple change at half-time as Julian Brandt, Donyell Malen and Marco Reus were introduced in search of a spark.
But it was the Berlin side who came closest to finding the next goal when Kobel was forced into a good save from a Timo Baumgartl header, leaping to his right to keep the effort out.
Terzic threw on Thorgan Hazard and Gio Reyna as Dortmund launched everything at the Union defence to try and find a way through, but the closest they came was when Frederik Ronnow flew to save a Youssoufa Moukoko shot with eight minutes remaining.
