Borussia Dortmund scored once in either half, through Thorgan Hazard and Achraf Hakimi, to edge past hosts Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 on Saturday and take over second place in the Bundesliga with their seventh win in their last eight league matches.
It was far from a vintage performance by the Ruhr valley club and Dortmund's teenage sensation Erling Haaland was shackled by Gladbach defenders for most of the game.
But their fourth straight league win and their 10th consecutive victory against Gladbach earned them three crucial points in the Bundesliga race and lifted them into second on 51 points, one behind leaders Bayern Munich, who take on Augsburg on Sunday.
It was also a major confidence boost for Dortmund ahead of Wednesday's Champions League round-of-16 return leg at Paris St Germain.
"We lost possession too often in the first half but still we managed to be in the lead," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre. "We made a big mistake with the goal we conceded but then we played really well.
"We will continue our path, match by match. Most games now will be very tight," said the Swiss.
Hazard gave the visitors the lead when he shook off three defenders, turned to create space and curled in with his left foot in the eighth minute.
Gladbach struck back five minutes after the restart with a Lars Stindl tap-in but Dortmund hit back in the 71st when Hakimi latched on to a Jadon Sancho through ball, raced into the box and beat keeper Yann Sommer.
Sommer had earlier made the save of the day, scooping a superb Hazard header off the line with one hand.
Sancho, who had come in only minutes before delivering his 15th assist of the season, then almost turned scorer but his 79th-minute effort came off the post. Haaland also misfired from close range.
Dortmund are a point clear of third-placed Leipzig, whose goalless draw at VfL Wolfsburg saw them drop to third place on 50.
Bayer Leverkusen moved into the top four on 47 points with a 4-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt and two goals from Paulinho.
