Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri’s late own goal completed Borussia Dortmund’s comeback from two goals down as they beat Hoffenheim 3-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Hoffenheim dominated for much of the opening hour and led 2-0 before Dortmund finally found their rhythm, scoring three times in the final 30 minutes to snatch victory.
“I liked what I saw,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said of Nwaneri. “That’s what we brought him in for. Maybe it wasn’t officially his goal, but he created it.”
“The team played all-or-nothing football. When you have to go all-or-nothing, the opponent has to try to keep up and the gaps start opening up.”
Hoffenheim took control through goals from Leon Avdullahu and Tim Lemperle, who put the hosts 2-0 ahead after 54 minutes.
Nwaneri, the youngest player in Premier League history, joined Dortmund on a season-long loan from Arsenal on deadline day and was introduced after half an hour.
Dortmund began their fightback shortly after the hour mark when Serhou Guirassy pulled one back before setting up Fabio Silva to level five minutes later.
With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Nwaneri cut in from the left and sent a shot towards goal. The effort took a huge deflection off Hoffenheim defender Albian Hajdari and flew into the net to complete Dortmund’s comeback.
Elsewhere, Bundesliga newcomers Elversberg maintained their remarkable start to life in the top flight with a 4-3 victory at Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Gladbach twice took the lead and were 3-1 ahead midway through the second half, but Elversberg fought back despite losing coach Vincent Wagner to a second yellow card shortly before half-time.
Felix Keidel levelled with 10 minutes remaining before Maurice Krattenmacher completed the comeback in stoppage time with his second goal of the game.
Elversberg, a club from a town of just 13,000 people, are the smallest community ever to have a team in Germany’s top flight. They opened their debut season with a shock 3-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen last week.
Leverkusen responded to that setback by thrashing Union Berlin 4-0 at home.
Argentina internationals Equi Fernandez and Facundo Medina put Leverkusen 2-0 up by half-time, before England centre-back Jarell Quansah set up Patrik Schick for the third.
Ibrahim Maza added a stylish fourth late on to complete a comprehensive victory.
Elsewhere, West Ham loanee Niclas Fuellkrug scored his second goal in three games since returning to Germany as Werder Bremen beat RB Leipzig 3-1 at home.
The German striker headed in from distance, while Eren Dinkci and Marco Gruell were also on target for Bremen.
Europa League finalists Freiburg maintained their perfect start to the season with a 1-0 victory away to promoted Paderborn.
AFP
