Borussia Dortmund 1 Hertha Berlin 1: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saves the day but Emre Mor sees red in Bundesliga thriller
Aubameyang makes up for penalty miss with dramatic equaliser as both sides end feisty match with ten men
BORUSSIA DORTMUND missed the chance to go within a point of Bayern Munich as they were held to a draw by Hertha Berlin in a feisty Bundesliga clash.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saw a penalty saved before netting a dramatic equaliser for Thomas Tuchel's men as both sides were reduced to ten men in the dying moments.
Berlin arrived at the Westfalenstadion one point ahead of third-placed Dortmund and just three behind leaders Bayern.
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But it was the home side who got off to a flyer as Christian Pusilic almost teed up Marcel Schmelzer for an early opener.
Hertha soon fought their way back into the match, with their high line and intense pressure disrupting Dortmund’s flow in midfield.
And the visitors took advantage of their tactics early in the second half when Valentin Stocker latched on to a sumptuous backheel assist from Vedad Ibisevic and fired past Roman Burki.
But the yellow cards started to pile up as both sides looked to win back the ball with extra aggression.
And it took a stunning save from Hertha’s Rune Jarstein to keep Aubameyang at bay in the 68th minute, with the keeper flicking the striker’s cheeky chip against his own post.
Things got worse for Aubameyang when he stepped up to take a penalty nine minutes later after Shinji Kagawa’s shot was blocked by the hand of Genki Haraguchi.
The Gabon international’s weak shot was saved by the impressive Jarstein, but he made up for his error just moments later.
Substitute Ousmane Dembele’s change of pace left the Hertha defence stumped as he laid it on a plate for Aubameyang to finish, and Dortmund quickly found their second wind as they went in search of a winner.
But tempers soon flared as Mor shoved Sebastian Langkamp to the ground in front of the referee following a cynical challenge.
The youngster immediately received his marching orders and was followed by Hertha goalscorer Stocker just six minutes later after he hacked down Matthias Ginter.
Dortmund fans prayed for another goal as the ref played five minutes of added time, but it was Hertha who celebrated wildly at the final whistle as they moved within just two points of Bayern.
Carlo Ancelotti will now be looking to take advantage of Dortmund’s latest stumble when his side visit Eintracht Frankfurt tomorrow, knowing victory would see his side move six points clear of Tuchel’s men.