(Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund ended 2024 with a 3-1 victory at VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday, but coach Nuri Sahin urged his team to be more consistent to return to the Bundesliga's top four in the second half of the season.
Dortmund's first away league win of the season ended a three-game winless streak, lifting them to sixth place, the last spot to qualify for European football.
Reflecting on Dortmund's performance so far this season and his first months in charge, Sahin lamented that his team are not higher up in the standings.
"There were a lot of ups and downs. It was hesitant and that's exactly what I keep telling the guys," Sahin told streaming platform DAZN, comparing the Wolfsburg game to the season.
"We have to learn to be consistent. The table looks better, but it would look a lot better if we'd pulled it off against Hoffenheim," the former midfielder added, referring to last week's 1-1 draw.
Maximilian Beier and Julian Brandt, both goalscorers in the win at the Volkswagen Arena, echoed their coach's sentiments, criticising the team's second-half performance.
Dortmund led 3-0 by halftime but were reduced to 10 men after Pascal Gross' red card shortly after the hosts scored, which nearly led to more trouble.
"A 3-0 lead should give you enough confidence to see the game out comfortably," Brandt said. "You can criticise us (for the second-half). It's not good, we have to play more confidently, we have to step up."
Striker Beier, 22, added: "We're trying to find a reset in the new year and play better. We can't aim to be sixth."