Dortmund Held by Werder Bremen After Fullkrug’s Late Equaliser
Borussia Dortmund surrendered a two-goal lead in the closing minutes against Werder Bremen, with Niclas Fullkrug’s stoppage-time header forcing a 2-2 draw at Signal Iduna Park.
The result denied Dortmund a fifth straight Bundesliga victory, although Niko Kovac’s side remain top of the table for the time being and are still unbeaten domestically.
Dortmund appeared to have taken control late on. Daniel Svensson broke the deadlock in the 80th minute before Nico Schlotterbeck added a second five minutes later, putting the hosts on course for three points.
Werder Bremen hit back almost immediately. Ludovit Reis reduced the deficit in the 88th minute, then former Dortmund forward Fullkrug rose to head in the equaliser during stoppage time.
Kovac accepted responsibility after the final whistle and said his players had failed to manage the decisive period of the game.
“For 88 minutes, we pressed them well enough to keep them under real pressure,” Kovac said. “But we did not handle the last eight minutes properly. We have to take the blame ourselves.”
The Dortmund coach described the outcome as two points dropped and said he expects the squad to take a lesson from the collapse.
Sporting director Lars Ricken shared the frustration, insisting Dortmund had specifically targeted improvement in seeing out winning positions. Defender Waldemar Anton said the team abandoned its approach after reaching 2-0 and conceded that their defending deteriorated.
Schlotterbeck, who scored Dortmund’s second, said the home side had been in command until Bremen’s late response. He also acknowledged Fullkrug’s strength in the air, calling the striker an outstanding header of the ball.
Champions League trip next
Dortmund have little time to dwell on the draw. Kovac’s team now begin a demanding sequence of three away matches in six days, starting in Norway against FK Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
The Black and Yellows will look for an immediate European response after letting victory slip in the Bundesliga.
