Soccer-Dortmund battle past Union 2-0 to hold on to fourth place

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Union Berlin v Borussia Dortmund - Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Berlin, Germany - March 2, 2024 Borussia Dortmund's Ian Maatsen celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

BERLIN (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund scored in each half through Karim Adeyemi and Ian Maatsen to battle past Union Berlin 2-0 on Saturday and remain fourth in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund, missing suspended forward Donyell Malen, had two golden chances before Adeyemi picked up the ball on the edge of the box, cut inside and whipped in a fierce shot that went in off the crossbar to give his side a 41st-minute lead.

Union should have levelled in the 56th but Dortmund keeper Alexander Meyer palmed a point-blank Kevin Volland shot wide and the visitors made sure of the three points with Maatsen's 90th- minute goal.

Dortmund have 44 points, three behind third-placed VfB Stuttgart, who face VfL Wolfsburg later on Saturday. RB Leipzig are fifth on 43 after their 4-1 win over VfL Bochum.

The top four teams qualify for next season's Champions League group stage.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)