With stinging criticism ringing in their ears, Borussia Dortmund's players responded to a disappointing defeat with a 4-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel had blasted his side's performance — "technical, tactical, mental - a whole deficiency" — after last week's league loss to Eintracht Frankfurt. The words had their effect as Dortmund, led by the outstanding Marco Reus, produced a convincing performance with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring twice.
But the home side got off to a bad start when Marc Bartra's headed clearance went straight to Raffael, who struck inside the left post in the sixth minute.
But Aubameyang replied straight away with his league-leading 14th of the season, beating Yann Sommer at his near post after Reus played the ball through. Lukasz Piszczek headed home from close range in the 15th after Bartra helped on a corner.
Reus thought he'd scored with a cheeky back-heel after the break but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Reus, a constant thorn in the 'Gladbach defense, set up Ousmane Dembele to score midway through the half. Dembele still had work to do but eluded two 'Gladbach defenders with a quick change of movement before shooting inside the left post.
Reus set up Aubameyang's second with his heel, before going off to well-earned applause from appreciative home fans.
Dortmund climbed fifth while 'Gladbach remains in the bottom half of the table.
Later, promoted Leipzig faced a tough task to reclaim the league lead against in-form Schalke.
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WOLFSBURG 2, HERTHA BERLIN 3
Solomon Kalou's injury-time penalty earned Hertha a come-from-behind win to stay third.
Borja Mayoral got troubled Wolfsburg off to a great start, converting the rebound from close range after Rune Jarstein saved Daniel Caligiuri's effort.
Marvin Plattenhardt equalized with a fine free kick only for Paul Seguin to reply two minutes later, scoring from a narrow angle as Hertha's defense looked uncharacteristically suspect.
But Alexander Esswein equalized for Hertha in the 69th, Seguin was sent off late with his second yellow card, and Kalou sealed it after Caligiuri was penalized for bringing down Plattenhardt.
Wolfsburg could end the weekend in the relegation zone.
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HOFFENHEIM 4, COLOGNE 0
Hoffenheim maintained its unbeaten start to climb to fourth.
Sandro Wagner pounced on the rebound to give Hoffenheim an early lead after Benjamin Huebner's header from a corner hit the crossbar.
Cologne, which lost Marcel Risse to a knee injury, pushed hard for the equalizer but Jeremy Toljan struck on a counterattack before the break.
Wagner claimed his second goal midway through the second half and Mark Uth scored late to complete Cologne's miserable afternoon.
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BAYER LEVERKUSEN 1, FREIBURG 1
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez missed a late penalty as Leverkusen was held at home.
While there were goals scored in all the other games, there wasn't even a shot at goal inside the first half hour until Janik Haberer struck after a Freiburg corner for his first Bundesliga goal.
Leverkusen, toothless in the first half, improved after the break when Chicharito twice went close before Hakan Calhanoglu finally equalized on the hour-mark.
Chicharito had the chance to win it but Alexander Schwolow saved his penalty with two minutes remaining.
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WERDER BREMEN 2, INGOLSTADT 1
Fin Bartels scored one and set up another for Bremen to earn some breathing space with a win over its relegation rival.
Max Kruse converted Bartels' cross to claim his first goal for Bremen in the first half, but the home side failed to build on it and Markus Suttner equalized after the break.
Bartels then sealed it in a frenetic finale.