Berlin, Oct 10 (IANS) Niclas Fullkrug scored a stoppage-time equaliser against his former club as Werder Bremen fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund on Friday, ending the Bundesliga leaders’ perfect start to the season after four consecutive wins.
Dortmund dominated possession in the opening stages but struggled to break through Bremen’s compact defence. The visitors created their first significant opportunity in the 37th minute when Ludovit Reis broke through the centre and fired narrowly wide.
Marcel Sabitzer subsequently sent a free kick just past the post, while Bremen goalkeeper Karl Hein denied Maximilian Beier after a clever pass from Ethan Nwaneri, Xinhua reports.
Dortmund increased the pressure after the break, with Nico Schlotterbeck and Nwaneri threatening in quick succession. Hein again came to Bremen’s rescue, denying Nwaneri from close range.
Nwaneri later found the net with an acrobatic overhead kick, but the effort was ruled out after the referee had already stopped play for an attacking foul. At the other end, Fullkrug had an opportunity to put Bremen ahead, but Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel kept out the striker’s effort.
The hosts eventually broke the deadlock in the 80th minute when a counterattack culminated in Daniel Svensson finishing from close range. Five minutes later, Schlotterbeck rose to head home Joey Veerman’s corner, seemingly putting Dortmund on course for a fifth consecutive victory.
Bremen, however, refused to surrender and mounted another late comeback, having recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Augsburg two weeks earlier.
Reis pulled one back in the 88th minute with a strike that went in off the inside of the post, setting up a dramatic finish. In stoppage time, Marco Gruell delivered a free kick that Fullkrug headed past Kobel to snatch a point against his former side.
The result left Dortmund top of the Bundesliga standings with 13 points from five matches, while Bremen moved up to fourth with eight points. Bayern Munich and Freiburg were three points behind the leaders, with a game in hand, as the fifth round continued.
Dortmund will next travel to face Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League before visiting Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. Bremen will host Paderborn in its next league fixture.
–IANS
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