Dortmund Throw Away 3-1 Lead in Dramatic 3-3 Draw at St. Pauli

HAMBURG, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Borussia Dortmund blew a two-goal lead late in the game. They ended with a 3-3 draw against FC St. Pauli in their Bundesliga opener on Saturday.

Serhou Guirassy scored the first goal for Dortmund in the 34th minute. He headed in a cross from Marcel Sabitzer. This was his 65th league goal in only 102 games for the club. Five minutes later, Guirassy missed a penalty. His shot was saved by St. Pauli’s goalkeeper, Nikola Vasilj.

St. Pauli tied the game just after the break. In the 50th minute, Andreas Hountondji headed the ball into the net. Dortmund took charge again in the 67th minute with Waldemar Anton’s curling shot. Then, substitute Julian Brandt made it 3-1 with a calm finish in the 74th minute.

The contest turned on its head in the closing ten minutes. Filippo Mané was given a red card in the 85th minute for a foul on Danel Sinani. Sinani then scored the penalty, making it 3-2 only a minute later. The hosts made a stunning comeback in the 89th minute. Captain Eric Smith fired a long shot that beat Gregor Kobel. This goal earned St. Pauli a well-deserved point.

Dortmund head coach Niko Kovač expressed frustration over his team’s failure to finish the match. He stressed that staying focused for all 90 minutes is key if they want to compete for titles this season. St. Pauli will gain confidence from their strong play and finishing skills at the Millerntor-Stadion.