Berlin, Feb 14 || Borussia Dortmund strengthened its pursuit of leader Bayern Munich with a comprehensive 4-0 home victory over Mainz, extending its unbeaten Bundesliga run and maintaining a three-point gap at the summit.
The result stretched Dortmund's sequence without defeat to 15 league matches and halted Mainz's recent surge, as the visitor's winning streak came to an end in the opening fixture of the 22nd matchday.
Niko Kovac's side asserted control early, dominating possession and forcing Mainz deep. Its first clear opportunity brought the breakthrough after 10 minutes. From the right edge of the area, Julian Ryerson delivered a precise cross and Serhou Guirassy rose above Dominik Kohr to head in from close range.
Five minutes later, the pattern repeated. Ryerson again found space to cross, this time picking out Maximilian Beier at the far post. His header from a tight angle struck Daniel Batz and crossed the line for 2-0.
Mainz briefly threatened a response when Silas ran clear following a defensive lapse, but he steered his effort wide. The miss proved costly. Shortly before the interval, Ryerson's corner caused further problems and Guirassy powered home another header to make it 3-0, effectively deciding the contest before the break.