16.12.2017 21:52 h

Dortmund make it two wins from two under Stoeger

New Dortmund head coach Peter Stoeger won his second straight match after replacing the sacked Peter Bosz with a 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim on Saturday, decided by American teenage sensation Christian Pulisic's last-gasp tap-in.

Dortmund moved up to third in the Bundesliga after ending a miserable run of seven home games without a win in all competitions and, after Tuesday's 2-0 win at Mainz, offered further signs of a turnaround in form.

But Stoeger insisted that he has had minimal impact since arriving last weekend, despite the change in results.

"I'll say it again, I haven't been able to exert much influence here and I have taken a lot of good things from my predecessor," the Austrian said.

"You can see in the team that when they haven't won for a long time, it simply does them good to get a win.

"Players need a sense of achievement for the mood to improve, which is what has happened here."

Stoeger has a contract until the end of the season and there are reports Hoffenheim's Julian Nagelsmann, voted Germany's coach of the year for 2016, will replace him for next term.

Nagelsmann reportedly has a release clause in his contract, which runs until 2021, but has consistently denied any contact with Dortmund.

"The question of whether I asked for a clause is not relevant, because there was no offer and no club made an approach," he said.

"I keep stressing that I completely distance myself from these rumours.

"I've never discussed, not even with my advisor, whether or not I want to fulfill my contract. I only focus on my team."