Borussia Dortmund snatch point from Hertha as Jadon Sancho shines
Borussia Dortmund came from behind to snatch a point in the capital against a Hertha Berlin side who extended an excellent record at home to the Westphalians, but will rue a missed opportunity.
Hertha Berlin 1-1 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 1-0 Selke (46'), 1-1 Kagawa (71')
Christian Pulisic, back in Dortmund's starting XI after missing out against Wolfsburg through injury last weekend, dinked in a delightful cross which Shinji Kagawa headed over with the guest's and the game's first opening 13 minutes in. Mitchell Weiser and Marvin Plattenhardt both missed the target from distance before Valentino Lazaro's free-kick rippled only the side-netting as the hosts came closest to breaking the deadlock in an evenly-fought first half.
The enterprising Lazaro's cross was met by Davie Selke at the far post as he tucked in his fifth goal of the season within a minute of the restart. Dortmund rolled up their sleeves and Pulisic rifled in a shot which Thomas Kraft did well to turn behind. Salomon Kalou thought he had doubled Hertha's lead, but Ondrej Duda wanted to make sure the Ivory Coast forward's shot had enough legs to cross the line, albeit from an offside position. It proved to be a costly mistake as Dortmund levelled with the creative Jadon Sancho crossing for Kagawa to head in. Sancho almost snatched a win for the guests, but they had to settle for another point.
Man of the match
Sancho pricked ears with his performance a week ago, and he showed how much he is growing in confidence after being handed a second straight start. His assist was only part of a performance in which he was Dortmund's most dangerous player.
Line-ups
Hertha: Jarstein - Weiser, Stark, Lustenberger, Plattenhardt - Skjelbred (c), Maier - Lazaro, Duda (76' Leckie), Kalou (83' Darida) - Selke
Unused subs: Klinsmann, Pekarik, Langkamp, Mittelstädt, Ibisevic
Absentees: Rekik (muscular), Jarstein (thigh)
Coach: Pal Dardai
Dortmund: Bürki - Piszczek, Sokratis (c), Toprak, Toljan - Kagawa, Weigl, Götze (67' Isak)- Pulisic (85' Yarmolenko), Schürrle, Sancho
Unused subs: Weidenfeller, Zagadou, Sahin, Akanji, Castro
Absentees: Aubameyang (left out), Schmelzer (calf), Philipp (knee), Guerreiro (thigh), Reus (rehabilitation), Rode (pelvis), Durm (ankle), Larsen (knee)
Coach: Peter Stöger
Watch: Hertha's Selke believes his side could've had all three points
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Match stats
- Hertha are unbeaten in four home games against Borussia, taking eight of a possible 12 points.Injury forced Rune Jarstein to miss his first Bundesliga game since April 2016 – a run of 55 straight appearances.Selke's haul of five goals this season is one better than his four for Leipzig last season.BVB are yet to win in the Bundesliga this season without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; in four games without the Gabon international, BVB have only picked up three points (and only scored three goals).Dortmund scored the 20,000th away goal in Bundesliga history.