M. Schmelzer enters the game and replaces Raphaël Guerreiro.
Creating that chance for Sancho will be Guerreiro’s final act, as he makes way for Schmelzer.
88'
L. Samardžić enters the game and replaces A. Esswein.
A. Maier enters the game and replaces M. Grujić.
A final roll of the dice for Hertha. First, Esswein – who only came on in the first half – is replaced by 18-year-old Samardzic.
There’ll also be fresh legs in midfield, with Maier coming on in place of Grujic.
86'
Defensively, Hertha have only made one true slip up today, but going forward they have not offered enough to test Burki, with time quickly running out for them to salvage a result.
84'
Piszczek meets the resulting corner – and outswinger from Sancho – but cannot generate enough power on his header to trouble Jarstein.
83'
A huge penalty appeal from Dortmund after a strike from Can hits the arm of Boyata. However, there was little the Hertha defender could have done to move out of the way, and the hosts have to settle for a corner.
82'
Despite Witsel going off, Can has not moved into midfield, with Balerdi, who can play in either position, has dropped in in place of the Belgian.
80'
L. Balerdi enters the game and replaces A. Witsel.
Another change from Favre. Witsel, who has been superb in midfield, makes way for Balerdi.
79'
Mateu Morey enters the game and replaces T. Hazard.
A second Dortmund substitution sees Hazard make way for Morey.
Minute
Description
77'
K. Piątek gets yellow.
Piatek lunges in on Hakimi, completely missing the ball, and duly receives a booking.
76'
A. Esswein gets yellow.
A first booking of the game now, and it goes the way of Esswein, who took out Reyna 25 yards out from Hertha’s goal.
74'
A promising Dortmund move involving Sancho, Hakimi and Reyna breaks down, handing Hertha a chance to break. However, the visitors take too long, and the opportunity goes begging.
72'
Darida again tries his luck from range, though this time his effort is deflected and loops up harmlessly for Burki to collect.
70'
Hertha are on the front foot now, having had to withstand another wave of Dortmund pressure. With Piatek on, the visitors certainly have plenty of threat up top.
68'
G. Reyna enters the game and replaces J. Brandt.
A first change now from Favre. Brandt is off, with Reyna coming on.
66'
Dortmund have not been at their best so far, but when Brandt, Hazard and Sancho have managed to link up, they have looked increasingly sharp as the match has worn on.
64'
Space opens up for Darida on the edge of Dortmund’s box, but Witsel is swiftly on hand to lunge in and block the midfielder’s effort.
62'
K. Piątek enters the game and replaces P. Skjelbred.
A change for Hertha. Skjelbred is off, with Piatek coming on.
60'
As it stands, Dortmund are four points clear in second place. Favre will be desperate for his side to finish this match off with a second goal quickly, though.
57'
E. Can has scored a goal for Borussia Dortmund! Assist by J. Brandt.
GOOOOOAALLLLL!!! DORTMUND TAKE THE LEAD! Finally, the hosts have the breakthrough, as Can slots in from just inside the area after brilliant combination play from Brandt and Sancho.
Can’s finish was cool and composed, yet the set up play has to be appreciated. Sancho fired in a lofted pass to Brandt, who leapt to cushion a header down into the feet of the former Juventus midfielder.
53'
Almost another chance for Sancho, who very nearly got onto a pass from Brandt, but it was just cut out by a Hertha defender.
46'
J. Ngankam enters the game and replaces D. Lukébakio.
Another enforced change for Hertha. Lukebakio has had to make way, with Ngankam coming on in his place.
We are back up and running for the second half.
45'
HALF-TIME: BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-0 HERTHA BERLIN.
43'
Hertha have certainly got braver as the half has wore on, though Dortmund still have the control. However, their visitors are remaining steadfast, snapping into challenges and preventing Favre’s side finding space upfield.
40'
Dortmund are getting the most joy down the right, and once more Hakimi and Sancho combine. This time, it is the winger who gets through, but his first touch to take him beyond Boyata is just too heavy, allowing Jarstein to intervene.
38'
It’s Guerreiro who takes it, but gets far too much power and pace on his cross-shot, sending it harmlessly over.
37'
That’s a rash tackle from Esswein, who lunges in on Hakimi and concedes a free-kick right on the edge of Hertha’s area. The angle is tight for a shot, but Guerreiro and Hazard stand over it…
35'
There is now more space appearing for Hertha on the break, with the visitors growing into this match. Conversely, with Dortmund’s front line staying high upfield, this game is becoming increasingly stretched.
30'
A. Esswein enters the game and replaces J. Dilrosun.
A problem for Dilrosun, who is unable to continue having seemingly sustained an injury. Esswein has replaced the winger.
29'
Hakimi and Sancho link up down the right, with the latter laying a neat throughball off for the full-back, who drills in a low cross which Boyata does well to clear.
20'
For all Dortmund’s control, they are yet to craft a clear-cut chance, and their best bet may well come by trying to draw Hertha out and catch them cold on the break.
18'
Wonderful play from Sancho, as the winger gets Dortmund up the pitch with a fantastic run from deep, leaving defenders in his wake. The ball is then switched out to the opposite flank, but that gives Hertha time to get back in their shape.
13'
Sancho returned to Dortmund’s starting line up in some style last time out, netting a hat-trick against Paderborn, and the England international has started brightly, mainly taking up a position down the left.
11'
Hertha may be a team in form but Dortmund are playing with a real zip and prowess at the moment, with Sancho, Hazard and Brandt all picking up pockets of space in the final third.
5'
It has been a typically composed start from Dortmund, who are controlling possession. Perhaps they are being boosted by the crowd noise, which is being played over the tannoy despite the fact there are, of course, no fans in attendance.
3'
Dortmund stars Sancho and Hakimi both paid tribute to George Floyd – amid the ongoing civil unrest in the United States – in the win over Paderborn, and during the warm up today, the Dortmund side all wore t-shirts bearing messages against racial discrimination. The entire squads and coaching staff of both teams also took a knee before kick-off.
1'
KICK-OFF! We are up and running, with Hertha having got proceedings started.
Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of the Bundesliga, as Borussia Dortmund aim to keep their dwindling title hopes alive against Hertha Berlin.
Bayern Munich’s 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen today has moved the Bundesliga leaders, temporarily at least, 10 points clear of Dortmund, whose title hopes are quickly diminishing. Their place in second is not yet secure, and a defeat today could see them dragged into a four-horse race for Champions League qualification.
Hertha, meanwhile, have been a team in form since the Bundesliga resumed in May, winning three of their four fixtures. That run has moved them into ninth, with European qualification certainly not out of the question.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND SUBS: Marwin Hitz, Mateu Morey, Leonardo Balerdi, Marco Rente, Marcel Schmelzer, Tobias Raschl, Immanuel Pherai, Giovanni Reyna, Chris Fuhrich.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND (3-4-3): Roman Burki; Lukasz Piszczek, Emre Can, Manuel Akanji; Achraf Hakimi, Thomas Delaney, Axel Witsel, Raphael Guerreiro; Thorgan Hazard, Julian Brandt, Jadon Sancho.
HERTHA BERLIN SUBS: Jessic Ngankam, Dennis Smarsch, Marton Dardai, Krzysztof Piatek, Arne Maier, Niklas Stark, Lukas Klunter, Alexander Esswein, Lazar Samardzic.
HERTHA BERLIN (4-2-3-1): Rune Jarstein; Peter Pekarik, Dedryck Boyata, Jordan Torunarigha, Maximilian Mittelstadt; Marko Grujic, Per Skjelbred; Dodi Lukebakio, Vladimir Darida, Javalro Dilrosun; Vedad Ibisevic.
The sides are out at Signal Iduna Park and we’re almost ready for kick-off.
Dortmund have seen over 60 per cent of the possession, yet Favre’s side must click up the intensity if they are to find a way through Hertha’s defence and capitalise on Leverkusen's defeat and RB Leipzig's draw with Paderborn.
Dortmund have also put some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack, with the race for the Champions League set to go down to the wire. Hertha, meanwhile, have had their unbeaten run ended at six matches.
That is all we have time for. Until next time, goodbye.
Commentary
More…