Bundesliga: Beating Mainz caps Dortmund`s red-letter week

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admits Borussia Dortmund`s 4-2 win over Mainz, to climb out of the relegation places, was almost as good as hearing Marco Reus had extended his contract earlier in the week.

"That was the best news of the week," admitted Gabon goal-scorer Aubameyang after Friday`s win at Dortmund`s Westfalenstadion.

On Tuesday, Germany winger Reus ended weeks of speculation that he was set to quit at the end of the season by announcing he had signed a new contract until 2019.

The Mainz victory capped a red-letter week for Borussia, who had climbed off the bottom of the table with a 3-0 at Freiburg last Saturday.

Neven Subotic, Nuri Sahin, Reus and Aubemayang scored in the goal-fest against Mainz as Dortmund moved up from 16th to 14th in the table.

The manner of the win is an added bonus as Borussia both rediscovered their ability to score goals and secured back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Despite falling behind to Elkin Soto`s first-minute goal, Dortmund equalised through Subotic`s 50th-minute header before Reus put them 2-1 up with a superb strike just after the break.

Yunus Malli levelled for Mainz just two minutes later, but Dortmund proved their attack is back on form when a curling Reus pass off the side of his boot found Aubemayang who beat the goalkeeper and a defender.

Sahin then volleyed home their fourth to cap an impressive display.

"The 4-2 is deserved, because we followed it up with fantastic goals," enthused Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, as Borussia climbed up to just behind 13th-placed Mainz.

"It was a six-point game, because the victory meant we were able to catch up with Mainz.

"Now we need to bring more consistency in our performance. The next games will not be easy."

Dortmund are away at both bottom side VfB Stuttgart on Friday, then Italian league leaders Juventus on February 24 in the Champions League last 16, before hosting Schalke 04 in the Ruhr Valley derby four days later. 

"The entire season is an extreme challenge for us," added Klopp.

"The early goal we conceded was another comedy of errors, even if Soto did finish well, but we reacted immediately and could have scored straight away through Reus and Shinji Kagawa.

"We know we will have chances if we continue to play like that."

It is hard to overstate the importance of Reus` commitment to Borussia as Dortmund worked hard to keep their star forward after seeing Mario Goetze and Robert Lewandowski leave for Bayern Munich in recent years.

"It was great news for the whole region. Everyone was a bit euphoric today," explained Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, as the Mainz victory was the icing on the cake for Dortmund fans.