Eintracht Frankfurt boost survival hopes as Dortmund's title dreams end

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Eintracht Frankfurt boosted Bundesliga survival hopes with a 1-0 win over Borussia Dortmund that put them three points clear of the relegation zone.

Stefan Aigner's 14th-minute strike was enough for Niko Kovac's men to win, leaving Frankfurt needing just a point from their final day-trip to Werder Bremen to stay up.

Luc Castaignos stung the palms of Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki with his powerful volley in the eighth minute which the Swiss turned over the crossbar.

Only seconds after Bayern Munich had gone in front in their game at Ingolstadt, Dortmund's hopes of keeping the title race alive until the final game of the season were dealt a further blow when Aigner headed in Makoto Hasebe's cross to give the Eagles the lead.

For the hosts, it was a critical goal as it lifted them back out of the bottom two, with results elsewhere not going their way.

Dortmund were not going to let them win without a fight, though, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wasted an excellent chance to level when he turned Marco Reus' pass over the crossbar.

Mats Hummels saw a goal ruled out on the stroke of half-time when he headed in Nuri Sahin's lofted pass, and replays confirmed the decision was an incorrect one.

The Dortmund defender was at the heart of the action again early in the second half when his header brought a fine save out of Lukas Hradecky, who touched the ball onto the frame of the goal, although the referee halted play for a push by Hummels.

Dortmund's pressure was unrelenting as Frankfurt packed all 11 men deep in their own half, desperately defending their lead.

The storm they had to face grew in intensity when Thomas Tuchel sent on attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic for central defender Hummels, who was practically playing up front anyway.

Frankfurt somehow withstood the pressure, however, and with Stuttgart losing at home to Mainz, they are three points clear of the Swabians with a significantly better goal difference, leaving them a trip to Bremen next weekend to try to get the point they need to avoid a relegation playoff.