Berlin: Despite leading twice, Borussia Dortmund could not find victory against local rivals Schalke as the match ended in a 2-2 draw. The result moved them behind Bayern Munich, who had earlier won 5-3 against Augsburg, and are now two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
Borussia Dortmund twice took the lead but were held to a 2-2 draw by bitter local rivals Schalke to lose ground at Bayern Munich, who had earlier won 5-3 against Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Finished ahead by two points.
Kenan Karaman scored Schalke’s second equalizer with 10 minutes remaining to dash Dortmund’s hopes of keeping pace in the title race.
With many attacking stars missing, including captain Marco Reus, defender Nico Schlotterback hammered home a low drive from outside the box to put Dortmund ahead.
Schalke equalized five minutes into the second half through Marius Bulter, who headed in a pinpoint cross from winger Rodrigo Zelazar.
Dortmund retook the lead after 60 minutes, when Emre Can’s defensive pass found Rafael Guerrero who fired home.
With 10 minutes remaining, Schalke put Dortmund behind again when an unmarked Carman headed past ‘keeper Alex Meyer.
Schalke sat deep in the dying stages, frustrating Dortmund’s efforts to find a winner and held out for a draw that will be celebrated as a victory by fans whose team sits in the relegation zone.
Schlotterbeck said the result was “too little” for Dortmund’s ambitions this season, while manager Edin Terzic said his side lost control and were “defeated”.
“The game went wild, just as Schalke wanted it to be.”
A “satisfied” Schalke manager Thomas Reiss credited his team’s fightback, saying “when you come back like this you need to enjoy it.”
Earlier on Saturday, two goals from Benjamin Pavard and a first in Bayern colors for Joao Cancelo helped the leaders to a 5-3 home victory over Augsburg.
Bayern midfielder Jamal Musyala said his side were “getting back into the swing of things” but was disappointed they conceded three goals at home after reaching the Champions League quarter-finals with Wednesday’s win over Paris Saint-Germain. Accepted.
‘We were angry’
“Each of those three goals were goals we shouldn’t have conceded,” the 20-year-old said after the win against Augsburg.
“We are angry about it. We always want to keep a clean sheet.”
Four of Bayern’s five goals came from defenders, calming fears that the team could be toothless following a pre-game scratch for striker Eric Maxim Chopo Motting.
Augsburg took the lead after just two minutes through Mergame Berisha, who scored the only goal in his side’s shock 1-0 win over Bayern in September.
Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann praised his team’s “key response” after the early setback, but lamented “taking our foot off the pedal” late in the match.
The home side turned up the intensity and responded after 15 minutes through Cancelo, who scored his first goal for Bayern since joining them on loan from Manchester City at the end of January.
Pavard struck twice, the first time with a poacher’s finish in the box and the second time with a beautiful chip over Augsburg keeper Rafal Gakiewicz.
Leroy Sane added Bayern’s fourth goal late in the half.
Berisha converted a second-half penalty before Canadian wing-back Alfonso Davies added Bayern’s fifth of the match.
Augsburg’s Irwin Cardona scored a consolation goal in injury time.
Sadio Mane, making his first start since injury in November, which kept him out of Senegal’s World Cup squad, was kept on two assists.
