Dortmund settle for a point

Borussia Dortmund had to come from behind to draw 1-1 at Nuremberg in the Bundesliga yesterday, while promoted Eintracht Frankfurt routed nine-man Hoffenheim 4-0 to go top of the fledgling table.

With Bayern Munich hosting Stuttgart today at the Allianz Arena, Dortmund took centre-stage but had to settle for a point in Franconia after a lively performance from Nuremberg.

Dortmund fell behind when the home side’s Czech Republic striker Tomas Pekhart rose highest at the far post and headed past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller on 31 minutes.

The champions responded nine minutes later with the equaliser when Ivan Perisic’s shot clipped the crossbar and Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowski fired home.

Dortmund defender Mats Hummels had a chance cleared off the line in the second half, but having won the Bundesliga title for the last two seasons, the champions do not look as smooth in attack right now as they have over the past two years.

Newly-promoted Frankfurt backed up last week’s 2-1 win at home to Bayer Leverkusen with a 4-0 hammering of Hoffenheim, as the hosts finished with nine men.

The excellent Alexander Meier scored Frankfurt’s opening goal at the Rhein-Neckar Arena before Pirmin Schwegler added a second just before the interval.

Hoffenheim had midfielder Sejad Salihovic sent off on 70 minutes for two quick bookings, and defender Stephan Schroeck followed him for an early shower after he was shown his second yellow card on 73 minutes.

A miserable afternoon was complete for the home side when Meier netted his second of the game with a late penalty before Martin Lanig headed in the visitors’ fourth at the death.

Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, who has rejoined Hamburg from Tottenham Hotspur, was an observer in the stands during his new team’s 2-0 defeat at Werder Bremen in the north German derby.

Hamburg goalkeeper Rene Adler saved a first-half penalty from Bremen’s Aaron Hunt after winger Eljero Elia was fouled in the penalty area by compatriot Jeffrey Bruma four minutes before the break.

But Hunt made no mistake with his second spot-kick seven minutes into the second half after striker Nils Petersen was brought down by Dennis Aogo.

Petersen then doubled Bremen’s lead with a goal on 67 minutes after a Hunt assist.

Having turned down a move to Zenit St Petersburg in midweek, Greek centre-back Kyriakos Papadopoulos opened the scoring for Schalke in their 3-1 win at home to Augsburg with a 33rd-minute header.

US midfielder Jermaine Jones netted the Royal Blues’ second just a minute after the restart.

Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, last season’s Bundesliga top scorer, headed the third 18 minutes from time while Augsburg pulled back a consolation goal with time runnning out through Torsten Oehrl.

Results

B. Leverkusen 2 - Freiburg 0
Dusseldorf 0 - B. M’gladbach 0
Nuremberg 1 - B. Dortmund 1
Hoffenheim 0 - E. Frankfurt 4
Schalke 3 - Augsburg 1
W. Bremen 2 - Hamburg 0

Playing today
Wolfsburg vs Hannover - 15.30
B. Munich vs Stuttgart - 17.30

Standings: E. Frankfurt 6; Schalke, Borussia Dortmund, Nuremberg, B. M’gladbach, F. Dusseldorf 4; Bayern Munich, B. Leverkusen, W. Bremen, Wolfsburg, G. Fuerth 3; Hannover, Mainz, Freiburg 1; Stuttgart, Hamburg, Augsburg, Hoffenheim 0.