Xavi Simons and Loïs Openda were on target as RB Leipzig ended a four-match winless streak in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 home victory over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, boosting their hopes of finishing in the top four.

The win lifted Leipzig to fifth on 42 points after 26 games, level on points with fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who travel to VfL Bochum on Sunday. The top four in Germany qualify for the Champions League.

Leipzig started brightly and had a number of early chances, with Openda hitting the crossbar from close range, while Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made good saves from Simons and David Raum.

Dortmund, however, failed to heed the warnings and Simons opened the scoring in the 18th minute, lashing home a rebound after Kobel had again denied left-back Raum.

Leipzig doubled their lead after the break through Openda, who was left unmarked at the far post from a corner and showed excellent technique to volley home Simons' delivery in the 48th minute.

Dortmund responded well to the second goal and did their best to claw their way back into the game, but were denied time and again by Gulacsi, who made several fine saves.

The best of these came in the 63rd minute after Adeyemi had played Serhou Guirassy through on goal, with Gulacsi racing off his line to deny the Guinea international his 15th league goal of the season.

Dortmund, who have endured a miserable campaign so far, dropped to 11th in the table with their 11th league defeat of the season.

Defender Nico Schlotterbeck was pessimistic when discussing Dortmund's chances of qualifying for European football next season, telling Sky Sports: "It's difficult. It's almost impossible.

"The chances are very slim right now. We'll try our best, of course. After the international break, we have to attack somehow."

The defeat was a harsh return to reality for Niko Kovac's side, who had booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at Lille on Wednesday.

To make matters worse, Dortmund lost midfielder Marcel Sabitzer early in the second half when the Austria international limped off with an apparent knee injury.