Berlin, Feb 20 (IANS): Borussia Dortmund scored two goals in each half to ease past struggling Hertha Berlin 4-1 at the closing of the 21st round.

The BVB needed some time to gain a foothold into the clash as Marco Reus's header marked the first chance of the game with 25 minutes played, reports Xinhua news agency.

Dortmund opened the scoring two minutes later when Karim Adeyemi benefitted from a miscued shot from Reus and tapped the ball past Berlin goalkeeper Oliver Christensen.

The hosts gained momentum and made it two at the half-hour mark after Donyell Malen poked home Adeyemi's pinpoint cross to the back post from close range.

Hertha tried to pull back but lacked in penetration as only Marc Oliver Kempf came close by header in the 34th minute.

The visitors from the capital caught a perfect start into the second half and halved the deficit against the run of the play as Lucas Tousart hammered Suat Serdar's good build-up work into the roof of the net.

Hertha increased the pressure but couldn't level the scores as Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was equal to Florian Niederlechner's dangerous effort in the 51st minute.

Dortmund ceased its actions but still was able to restore its two-goal advantage after Reus curled home a free kick from 20 meters over the wall into the top right corner.

Hertha Berlin's resistance was broken whereas Dortmund wasn't done with the scoring as Julian Brandt finished off a solo run from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens to make it four in the closing stages.

With the win, Dortmund secured its eighth straight win in 2023 and moved equal on points with front runners Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga standings.

"We have put ourselves in a very good position, but we haven't achieved our goals yet," said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.

Elsewhere, Union Berlin missed the chance to jump atop the standings after sharing the spoils with bottom side Schalke following a goalless stalemate while Mainz overpowered Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 on the road.