Nuri Sahin's late penalty kept Borussia Dortmund undefeated in seven games with a hard-earned 2-1 victory at 10-man Hoffenheim.
Jakub Blaszczykowski gave Dortmund the lead after two minutes but Demba Ba equalised in the 49th minute for the home side.
But Sahin converted from the spot in the 79th minute and Hoffenheim finished the game with 10 men as Maicosuel was shown a red card in the 81st minute.
Dortmund made a flying start with a goal after just two minutes as Sahin won a ball in midfield and found Lucas Barrios on the right.
Barrios chipped inside to Blaszczykowski and the Poland international slotted past Hoffenheim goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand into the bottom-right corner.
Hoffenheim struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half and Dortmund nearly doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time but Kevin Grosskeutz fired over the bar from eight yards.
And the hosts equalised four minutes after the interval with Ba rising to head home Carlos Eduardo's corner past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller from 10 yards.
Dortmund were awarded a penalty with 11 minutes left as Josip Simunic held Neven Subotic in the area. Sahin stepped up to the spot and blasted his left-footer into the upper right corner.
Hoffenheim then went a man down two minutes later as Maicosuel was shown a red card for a crude challenge on Weidenfeller just seven minutes after coming on.
Barrios twice had superb chances to end all doubts about the outcome but was stopped by Hildebrand in the 85th minute and in stoppage time.
