Stuttering Dortmund squander two-goal lead to draw with Heidenheim

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Felix Nmecha's last-gasp chance skims off the crossbar

Felix Nmecha nearly gives Borussia Dortmund the win, but his shot goes off the crossbar and out of bounds.

Updated: Sep 2, 2023, 12:43 am

Borussia Dortmund wasted a two-goal lead to stumble to a 2-2 home draw against Bundesliga newcomers Heidenheim on Friday and confirm their stuttering form at the start of the season with their second draw in a row.

Last season's runners-up, who signed Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug on Thursday and brought him on late in the game, looked set for a comfortable night after taking a seventh minute lead when Julian Brandt flicked the ball into the top corner.

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Eight minutes later captain Emre Can doubled their lead with a well-struck penalty and Heidenheim firmly on the backfoot.

The hosts, however, missed a string of chances through Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi among others, while goalkeeper Kevin Mueller kept the visitors alive with some fine saves.

"In the first half we saw many things of how we want to be playing," Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said. "That the team wanted to show a different face from the one in the past weeks.

"But in the second half we showed the face we have shown all too often in past years. We had so many chances and allowed the game to turn wild. We gave up our discipline in the positions.

"I can understand the anger and frustration because I feel it as well. A top team with lofty ambitions cannot have such games that often."

Emre Can and Marcel Sabitzer react during Borussia Dortmund's disappointing Bundesliga draw against Heidenheim.
Emre Can and Marcel Sabitzer react during Borussia Dortmund's disappointing Bundesliga draw against Heidenheim.
Hendrik Deckers/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images

Eren Dinkci then stunned the hosts on the hour by beating keeper Gregor Kobel with a superb left-foot volley to inject new life into the game as Heidenheim, in their first Bundesliga season, grew bolder.

The pressure paid off in the 81st minute when they earned a spot kick after some sloppy defending from Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller and a lengthy VAR review.

Tim Kleindienst stepped up to convert the penalty and silence Signal Iduna Park.

Dortmund substitute Felix Nmecha hit the bar deep in stoppage time but Heidenheim held on to earn their first point of the season.

Dortmund, who missed out on the Bundesliga title last season after dramatically slipping up on the final matchday, have had a rough start, needing an 88th minute winner to beat Cologne 1-0 in their opener. Last week they drew 1-1 at VfL Bochum.

They are sixth with five points from three games. 

"We told ourselves that we want to start strongly this season and not have to launch a comeback in the second half of the season but today we dropped points once more," Terzic said.

"Five from nine possible points from three matches is not what we wanted."