A late strike from Axel Witsel earned Borussia Dortmund a scarcely deserved 1-0 win away to Mainz on Wednesday and sparked the Bundesliga title race back into life.
Witsel guided in an 87th minute free-kick from Giovanni Reyna at the back-post to secure victory after a largely uninspired performance from visitors Dortmund.
But they have still moved within four points of stumbling leaders Bayern Munich with eight games to play, including a head-to-head showdown between the pair in Munich on the weekend of April 22/23.
"Sometimes you can't play beautiful football, you just have to win," Witsel told DAZN. "We knew it would not be easy here. It was a really difficult game."
Emre Can agreed and added: "If you score the winning goal so later it's even nicer. The victory tastes very good."
The match had been rearranged due to a coronavirus outbreak in the Mainz squad and the midtable hosts fell narrowly short of claiming a deserved point.
Dortmund only threatened after the second-half introduction of Erling Haaland, who is continuing his return from injury. Captain Marco Reus and defender Mats Hummels missed out with illness and a coronavirus infection respectively.
Haaland's arrival sparked a shot from Jude Bellingham which deflected past, Donyell Malen lashed wide and Haaland himself tested keeper Robin Zentner with a half-volley.
Mainz seemed to have weathered the storm until Witsel found space in the box three minutes from time and his first goal of the season kept Dortmund's title dream alive.
Dortmund next visit Cologne on Sunday, a day after Bayern host Union Berlin.
