Borussia Dortmund needed an 85th-minute equalizer by Julian Brandt to save a point in a 1-1 draw at promoted VfL Bochum on Saturday as they were six points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
Brandt took a fully qualified leveller after Bochum took the lead in the 40th minute from a Sebastian Poulter penalty.
Second-placed Dortmund, with coach Marco Rose suspended in the stands, avoided a second straight loss, but were further behind in the title race with 31 points, while Bayern were on 37.
Bayer Leverkusen, third on 27, travel to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday. Bochum is ranked 10th with 20 points.
Scorer Brandt said, “We’ve had pretty good chances to win this game. But if you don’t use them, you’ll only have one point at the end of the match.”
“Not scoring was not just bad luck. You have to score and we had enough chances but we weren’t accurate enough.”
Dortmund enjoyed a strong start and Jude Bellingham missed a golden opportunity to put his team in front when they only had Manuel Riemann to beat, but the goalkeeper widened his shot with a reflex save.
Shortly after Riemann rejected Erling Haaland, Bochum fought in his mini Ruhr Valley Derby.
It was the hosts who scored first despite pressure with a penalty from Poulter after Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel brought down Christopher Antwi-Adjey in the box.
The hosts, who lost 3-2 at home to Bayern last week, were out on the block after the break and carved out opportunity after opportunity.
Marius Wolf thought he had only scored in the 53rd, having been ruled out by a VAR review for offside.
Bochum extended his thin lead with Dortmund in the 85th minute, scoring 21 shots compared to the hosts’ three goals.
The visitors were eventually rewarded with their 22nd shot on goal when Norway striker Haaland fed Germany international Brandt, who scored from a tight angle.
Dortmund next host bottom club Grether Feuerth on Wednesday.
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