Newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen extended their record unbeaten run to 45 games after securing a late 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund thanks to Josip Stanisic's last-gasp equalizer on Sunday, reported Xinhua.
Leverkusen took the reins from the start and came close through Jeremie Frimpong, who pulled wide twice in the opening stages.
The spectators had to wait until the closing stages of the first half as Alejandro Grimaldo narrowly missed the target in quick succession, while Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky had to show a quick reflex to deny Marcel Sabizter's dangerous shot from the edge of the box.
Both sides staged a slow start again after the restart, but Gregor Kobel had to be on guard to defuse the promising efforts from Grimaldo and Nathan Tella.
However, Dortmund broke the deadlock in the 81st minute when Sabitzer's cross into the box found Niklas Fullkrug, who volleyed past Hradecky from close range.
It looked like the Werkself would suffer its first defeat of the season, but Xabi Alonso's boys had the last laugh and flabbergasted Dortmund with the equalizer after Stanisic nodded home Florian Wirtz's corner kick in the last action of the match.
"It was a game with only a few goalscoring opportunities. It wasn't the best performance by both teams. The draw feels like a defeat and a loss of two points as we took the lead very late," commented Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.
"We didn't want to lose. We played well and didn't deserve to lose here today. The late goals are always very emotional," said Alonso.
In other matches, third-placed Stuttgart missed the chance to stay on Bayern Munich's heel as Marvin Ducksch's brace secured Werder Bremen a 2-1 victory over the Swabians, and Mainz shared the spoils with Freiburg at 1-1.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
Was the late equalizer by Stanisic unexpected or did Leverkusen seem likely to score throughout the game?
It was not entirely unexpected as Leverkusen showed glimpses of their attacking prowess throughout the game, creating several close chances before finally converting the late equalizer.
Was Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak in jeopardy before the late equalizer by Stanisic? How did Dortmund manage to break through their defense?
Levekusen’s unbeaten streak was indeed on the line before Stanisic’s last-minute equalizer. Dortmund managed to break through their defense with a well-executed cross into the box that found Fullkrug for the decisive goal.
“It was an intense match with a dramatic finish. Leverkusen showed great resilience to secure the late equalizer. Both teams struggled to create clear chances, making the draw feel like a missed opportunity for Dortmund,” stated RebeccaJohnson.
“It was a game with only a few goalscoring opportunities. It wasn’t the best performance by both teams. The draw feels like a defeat and a loss of two points as we took the lead very late,” commented Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.
Did Leverkusen manage to maintain their winning streak despite the draw with Borussia Dortmund?
Yes, Leverkusen’s unbeaten run continues despite the draw with Borussia Dortmund. They have shown remarkable resilience in maintaining their streak.
“It was a game with only a few goalscoring opportunities. It wasn’t the best performance by both teams. The draw feels like a defeat and a loss of two points as we took the lead very late,” commented Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.
As a football enthusiast, I believe Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak is truly remarkable. They showed resilience till the last minute, securing a draw against Dortmund. The match may not have been high-scoring, but the intensity was undeniable. Kudos to both teams for their efforts.
Did Leverkusen manage to maintain their unbeaten streak in the end despite the late equalizer?