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Borussia Dortmund responded to this week's news that coach Jurgen Klopp will be leaving at the end of the season with a 3-0 victory over Paderborn that boosts their hopes of getting in the Europa League. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Shinji Kagawa scored the goals for Dortmund, who are now just a point behind seventh-placed Hoffenheim, which may be good enough for a place in Europe next season. Paderborn, meanwhile, could slip to the foot of the Bundesliga on Sunday if both Stuttgart and Hamburg below them win their games in hand. Having announced his decision to step down as Dortmund coach in midweek, Klopp came into this game knowing he would only be sitting on the bench a further eight times at most. He had also expressed his intention to go out on a high, but Paderborn had no intention of giving him a free ride. The East Westphalians needed points to help their survival challenge, and they had no fear about trying to get some of those points in Dortmund. They were claiming a penalty when Suleyman Koc went down under the challenge of Sokratis Papastathopoulos midway through the first half and although the referee's whistle remained silent, it was a clear warning to the hosts. They responded with Aubameyang wasting a few chances and Mkhitaryan shooting wide. Their improved form continued into the second half with Mkhitaryan putting them in front before Paderborn had settled. Aubameyang's cross was met by the Armenian six yards out, and his header finally had the measure of Lukas Kruse in the Paderborn goal. Dortmund appeared like a weight had been lifted, and they doubled their lead soon after with Aubameyang put through on goal by Matthias Ginter, and he lifted his shot over Kruse and in. Another Aubameyang goal was ruled out for offside as Dortmund threatened to run away with it, and they got a third goal which gave a more realistic look to the result 10 minutes from time. Mkhitaryan lifted the ball into the penalty area from deep and Kagawa took it down well before providing a cool finish to secure the points and boost Dortmund's hopes of sneaking into Europe next season. ends
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