Mainz Snatches Surprise Draw as Van den Berg’s Header Levels with Dortmund

Julian Brandt’s spectacular free-kick goal couldn’t break Borussia Dortmund’s winless streak as Sepp van den Berg’s header secured Mainz a hard-fought 1-1 draw in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund asserted dominance from the beginning, with Donyell Malen testing Mainz goalkeeper Daniel Batz after rattling the side netting from a tight angle. The breakthrough for Dortmund came at the half-hour mark when Brandt’s free-kick curled over the wall into the top-left corner, leaving the visitors stunned.

Despite Dortmund’s first-half control, the hosts couldn’t capitalize further. Marcel Sabizter’s attempt from distance was denied by the crossbar, and striker Niklas Fullkrug couldn’t beat Batz.

Mainz roared back to life in the closing stages of the half. Marco Richter forced Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel into action, setting the stage for Van den Berg’s unexpected equalizer from Philipp Mwene’s precise cross.

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In the second half, Mainz started stronger, with Mwene coming close but failing to beat Kobel from close range. Dortmund, on the other hand, had a golden opportunity for a last-minute victory, yet Batz once again thwarted Malen’s attempt.

With Dortmund’s winless streak extending to six games, they now face the risk of slipping away from Champions League contention. Mainz, on the other hand, secures a crucial point in their relegation battle.

Dortmund coach Edin Terzic commented, “We saw two different halves. We played well in the first, but we handed over control after the break. We once again didn’t manage to play consistently for 90 minutes.”

In other matches, RB Leipzig settled for a draw against resilient Werder Bremen, with Justin Nijnmah equalizing after Lois Openda’s opener. Meanwhile, Darmstadt staged a remarkable comeback, securing a 3-3 draw at Hoffenheim after trailing three times.

-IANS