Fc St. Pauli vs Dortmund: Bundesliga opener ends in draw

HAMBURG: Borussia Dortmund conceded goals in the last four minutes to waste a 3-1 lead and settle for a 3-3 at St Pauli in their Bundesliga opener on Saturday.

The hosts scored with an 86th minute Danel Sinani penalty before captain Eric Smith rifled in an equaliser three minutes later to snatch a surprise draw for the Hamburg club.

Niko Kovac’ Dortmund had taken a 34th minute lead when forward Serhou Guirassy, at the far post, headed in a pin-point Marcel Sabitzer cross, to take his tally to 65 league goals from 102 matches. Οnly five players in Bundesliga history needed fewer matches to reach that mark.

The Guinea international could have bagged another five minutes later but St Pauli keeper Nikola Vasilj did well to save the striker’s penalty.

The Bosnian keeper came to the rescue once more two minutes after the restart, spectacularly tipping a powerful Julian Brandt shot over the bar before the hosts drew level in the 50th courtesy of Andreas Hountondji’s well-timed glancing header after Dortmund’s Daniel Svensson lost possession near the box.

Dortmund gradually found more space and restored their lead with a quick four-pass combination in the box and Walter Anton curling a slightly deflected shot past Vasilj in the 67th.

Brandt thought he had settled any lingering nerves seven minutes later, superbly controlling a 30-metre cross from Pascal Gross with one touch and drilling in for their third goal. But St Pauli cut the deficit with

Sinani’s late penalty that also saw Dortmund’s Filippo Mane sent off with a straight red card, to inject some late drama in their season opener.

Their two-goal comeback was complete three minutes later when Smith powered in the equaliser from the edge of the box.

Champions Bayern Munich opened the Bundesliga season on Friday with a of RB Leipzig while last season’s runners-up Bayer Leverkusen slumped to a 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim on Saturday.