Borussia Dortmund could not continue their winning streak but did pick up a point in a spectacular 3-3 (1-2) draw away to Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 9 of the Bundesliga season.

Boris Rupert reporting from Frankfurt

BVB were too vulnerable defensively in front of the 56,500 spectators at a sold-out Deutsche Bank Park and deservedly went in 2-1 down at the break, even if the handball penalty that Marmoush converted to score the first of his two goals (8, 24) in a fast-paced first half was highly debatable. Marcel Sabitzer reduced the deficit to 2-1 on the stroke of half-time and when substitute Youssoufa Moukoko levelled at 2-2 in the 55th minute, it briefly looked as though Borussia could complete the comeback, but Chaibi scored at the other end to make it 3-2 (68). Another sub, Julian Brandt, netted to make it 3-3 (82) but BVB, who were going for the win, were not satisfied.

The scenario:  
The home team had not lost a game at their own stadium for precisely one year (a 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund) and had suffered defeat in only one of their previous 11 league outings. Eintracht went into the matchday in seventh place in the table, while Borussia were in fourth position. The Black & Yellows were unbeaten in 16 games stretching back into last season. Their last such run came more than 11 years ago.

Personnel matters: 
In addition to Emre Can (bruised thigh), Borussia were without Felix Nmecha. The scorer of the winning goal against Newcastle was suffering from muscular problems. Julian Brandt (injured calf) was included in the squad, as was Thomas Meunier after a long break. Can and Nmecha were replaced by Marcel Sabitzer and Salih Özcan, who played alongside each other for the first time this Bundesliga season. Sabitzer had been in the starting line-up in Newcastle, but it was Giovanni Reyna’s first start since Matchday 20 of last season.

Tactics:   
BVB switched back from the 4-3-3 formation deployed in Newcastle to a 4-2-3-1 with Reus in the middle of the three-man attacking midfield, flanked by wingers Malen (right) and Reyna (left). Frankfurt lined up in a 5-4-1 system off the ball, disbanded the five-man defence when in possession and relied on long balls – predominantly down the right flank. Or they built the play slowly and tied up the Dortmund back four with three players closely packed together in a line up top, with another player positioned wide out on the right.

The match & analysis:
BVB had control of the match to begin with and registered the first glimpse of goal, but Malen could only reach Reus’ cross right in front of the byline at the back post and the angle proved to be too tight (3). Kobel was called upon two minutes later when he threw up a hand to keep out Larsson’s attempt from eight metres following a cutback by Chaibi. Knauff and Wolf chased down the loose ball, Knauff got to it first and struck it against Wolf’s marginally splayed left arm from close range. It was certainly not an unnatural position and referee Schröder allowed play to continue, but video assistant Dankert made contact. Schröder watched the incident back and awarded a penalty for handball that Marmoush confidently slotted home (8).

Bensebaini had a chance to equalise via a header in the 23rd minute of the match, but his attempt following a Malen cross went wide of the right upright. The score instead became 2-0, with the goal following the same pattern as the opener. Larsson played the ball over to the deserted right flank and this time it was Buta who had all the time in the world. Hummels tried to intervene but could not stop the Frankfurt player’s shot. Kobel made a great save but the loose ball fell back to Buta, who shot first-time. Hummels deflected it and Kobel saved again, only for Marmoush to pop up and slot the ball over the goal-line to make it 2-0 (24).

Gregor Kobel needed treatment and had to be substituted off shortly afterwards. His replacement, Alex Meyer, was first tested in the 36th minute. It was a typical attacking pattern from Eintracht: a long ball out to the right wing and Chaibi fizzed a cross in towards the penalty spot. Meyer darted forwards to defuse the situation, but first made contact with Marmoush’s foot and then the ball. The VAR intervened once again, but Schröder stood by his decision: no penalty. It was justice evening itself out: it could certainly have been a penalty.

That meant BVB were still in the game – and they got back into it before the break: Füllkrug touched Wolf’s cross into the box onto Sabitzer, who made it 2-1 from exactly 16 metres (45+1). Marmoush could have re-established the two-goal gap immediately, but he struck the woodwork. Then came eight minutes of added time and another chance for BVB. Reus laid the ball off for Hummels, who struck it with the outside of his boot from 15 metres but it went narrowly wide (45+7).

Edin Terzic reacted by making a double substitution, bringing on Moukoko and Adeyemi for Malen and Reyna and lining his team up in a 4-4-2. Adeyemi was positioned deep in his own half off the ball and manned the left defensive flank, which had been left unoccupied in the first half.

However, it was the hosts who had the first opportunity: Knauff was thwarted by Meyer and Marmoush fired the rebound over the bar (47). Moukoko levelled the scores eight minutes later. Knauff did not clear Wolf’s cross far enough, Moukoko reacted the quickest in a central position inside the box and slotted the ball into the net to make it 2-2. Eintracht claimed that the (passively) offside Füllkrug had been in goalkeeper Trapp’s line of sight. But the goal stood. BVB sensed their opportunity to take the lead in the 62nd minute, but Reus’ shot was turned behind for a corner. It was the final involvement of the once-again captain, who was replaced by Brandt shortly afterwards.

Rather than 3-2, it was soon 2-3. Brandt lost the ball in midfield and Skhiri played it straight through to Chaibi, who beat Bensebaini and re-established the lead (68). Hummels was then forced off injured, with Süle coming on. Dortmund battled and Brandt made amends for his mistake when he converted Adeyemi’s low cross to level the scores at 3-3 (82).

Dortmund wanted the victory, had Eintracht pinned back and should have been awarded a penalty when Larsson held Schlotterbeck in stoppage time. But this time the VAR did not intervene…

Outlook:  
It’s time for another English week in which Borussia will enjoy home advantage twice: first against TSG Hoffenheim in the DFB-Pokal at 18:00 CET on Wednesday (All Saints’ Day) and then against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga at 18:30 CET on Saturday.

Teams & goals

Bundesliga Matchday 9
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 3-3 (2-1) BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Eintr. Frankfurt: Trapp – Tuta, Koch, Pacho – Buta (Dina Ebimbe, 61), Skhiri, Larsson, Max (Hauge, 86) – Chaibi (Chandler, 86), Knauff (Götze, 67) – Marmoush
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel (Meyer, 26) – Wolf, Hummels (Süle, 70), Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini – Özcan, Sabitzer – Malen (Adeyemi, 46), Reus (Brandt, 65), Reyna (Moukoko, 46) – Füllkrug.
Substitutes: Grahl, Hasebe, Nkounkou, Smolcic, Jakic – Meunier, Ryerson, Bynoe-Gittens, Haller
Goals: 1-0 Marmoush (pen for handball by Wolf, 8), 2-0 Marmoush (24), 2-1 Sabitzer (Füllkrug, 45+1), 2-2 Moukoko (55), 3-2 Chaibi (Skhiri, 68), 3-3 Brandt (Adeyemi, 82)
Corners: 0-3 (0-1 at half-time), chance ratio: 7-7 (4-3)
Referee: Schröder (Hanover), yellow cards: Marmoush, Buta, Pacho – Özcan, Adeyemi, Terzic
Attendance: 56,500 (sold-out), weather: rainy, 14 degrees