Tuchel’s side’s 11-match win run ended with 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim. PHOTO: AFP
After Bayern’s staggering 5-1 win at home to Wolfsburg on Tuesday, when Robert Lewandowski scored five goals in nine second-half minutes, Dortmund squandered the chance to regain top spot.
Dortmund had their 11-match winning run ended as they failed to match the Bavarians’ six straight wins, giving Pep Guardiola’s side a psychological advantage for the Dortmund-Bayern clash in Munich on Sunday week.
Second-placed Dortmund found themselves 1-0 down at Hoffenheim when Germany international Sebastian Rudy netted just before the break.
But Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel brought on defensive midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the equaliser followed soon after.
Midfielder Gonzalo Castro chested down Mats Hummels pass and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stabbed home his seventh goal in six league games on 55 minutes.
It means the Gabon winger has scored in each of his first six league games this season to set a new Bundesliga record.
It was the perfect time to score just moments after Hoffenheim’s Chile international Eduardo Vargas had hit the post after beating Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki, but Borussia could not force a winner.
Despite holding Dortmund, Hoffenheim are second from bottom of the table with just two points from two draws.
“We beat about the bush a bit,” said Tuchel. “We didn’t have the necessary drive in our game. We need to be dangerous in front of goal. We weren’t forceful enough, but we must take care that we don’t see ourselves as the losers, because we’re not.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2015.
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