Dortmund suffer heavy blow in Bundesliga's title race

Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-05 05:16:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan
Video PlayerClose

BERLIN, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Second-placed Borussia Dortmund squandered a two-goal lead and were held to a 2-2 draw by Werder Bremen at the 32nd round in Bundesliga on Saturday.

The "Green-Whites" scored two second-half goals through Kevin Mohwald and Claudio Pizarro to secure one point against Dortmund, who dropped crucial points in the second straight game.

With the result, Dortmund sit now four points adrift to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. Werder Bremen stay on the 9th position with two rounds to spare.

Dortmund ensured a fairy tale start on the road and shocked the hosts with the opener as Christian Pulisic danced through Bremen's defence to slot home into the far post corner with just six minutes played.

The visitors were in search for the second goal but Bremen's goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka denied Mario Gotze from promising position in the 14th minute.

Bremen needed some time to create their first chance of the game as Milot Rashica missed the target from promising position with 35 minutes into the clash.

Dortmund extended the lead just before the break when Paco Alcacer curled a free kick from 19 meters into the top left corner in the 41st minute.

The "BVB" remained in control of the proceedings on the pitch after the restart as Pulisic headed just wide before Pavlenka defused Thomas Delaney's shot from 19 meters in the 55th minute.

Dortmund thought they had tripled the lead at the hour mark but Paco Alcacer's goal from very close range was ruled offside.

However, Bremen flabbergasted the visitors in the 70th minute when Kevin Mohwald's long-range effort nutmegged Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.

The hosts increased the pressure and restored parity five minutes later as Ludwig Augustinsson's square pass allowed Claudio Pizarro to rifle the ball from sharp angle into the roof of the net.

Bremen continued on the front foot but wasted two opportunities to grab the winner in the closing period through Rashica and Pizarro.

"I am not satisfied but I am proud of my team. We played a weak first half but improved our performance after the restart. We wanted to win and we had the chances," Bremen's head coach Florian Kohfeldt said.

"We had the chances to extend the lead in the first and second half. We have to stay calm but we conceded two unnecessary goals," Dortmund's head coach Lucien Favre said.

The following fixtures conclude the 32nd round on Sunday: Freiburg host Fortuna Dusseldorf, and Bayer Leverkusen encounter Eintracht Frankfurt.

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011105091380340851