Borussia Dortmund held at home by Mainz after Marco Reus penalty miss
Marco Reus missed a second-half penalty as Borussia Dortmund were held at home by Mainz, with a rocket from Levin Öztunali and a first Dortmund goal for Thomas Meunier levelling the scores.
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Mainz
Goals: 0-1 Öztunali (57'), 1-1 Meunier (73')
Just five of Dortmund's 32 league goals so far this season have come in the first half of games, but Edin Terzic will have been in disbelief that his side did not open the scoring in the first 45 minutes against Mainz. Erling Haaland had the ball in the visitors' net after just 90 seconds, but his effort was ruled out with Meunier offside in the build-up. The early look at goal was a sign of things to come as Dortmund peppered the away side's goal. Robin Zentner was the only thing keeping his side in the game with saves from Reus and Julian Brandt in quick succession. It was Reus who then went to lob the Mainz No.1 having been played in on goal, but Zentner was equal to it once more. Jude Bellingham was making his first appearance of 2021 and had several chances to open the scoring. He struck the post with a low drive after 31 minutes, before heading wide from close-range after getting on the end of countryman Jadon Sancho's corner just before the break. Mainz struggled to get their counter-attack in flow but saw a Robin Quaison drive saved by Roman Bürki in the final seconds, while Dan-Axel Zagadou came off injured just before the break.
Dortmund began the second half in the same style as the first, building pressure around the Mainz penalty area. But Mainz had other ideas in the second half. Öztunali was sent away down the right and after cutting inside past Mats Hummels, unleashed an unstoppable strike from 30 yards to beat Bürki and find the top corner. Emre Can saw yellow which will see him miss next week's trip to Bayer Leverkusen as Dortmund struggled to create chances with time ticking on. Just as things looked bleak for Dortmund, Meunier struck his first for the club with a low drive into the bottom corner. Two minutes later and Reus had the perfect chance to turn the game around with Meunier brought down by Alexander Hack in the area. The captain stepped up, but dragged the spot-kick wide of goal having sent Zentner the wrong way. Danny Latza almost had the away side in front once more but his shot which rolled along the Dortmund goal-line having struck the post was cleared by Raphael Guerreiro. In the end, the ZeroFivers held on for a point to take them off the bottom of the table before Schalke play on Sunday.
Match stats
- Öztunali's goal was his first in the Bundesliga this season and only his second with his left foot in his career.
- The 05ers have taken points in three of their last four (2W, 1D) visits to the Signal Iduna Park having gone winless in each of their first 11 trips to Dortmund.
- Meunier scored his first goal for Dortmund since signing from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
- Reus has missed each of his last two penalties in the Bundesliga, the other coming against Werder Bremen in December 2020.
- BVB have scored 27 of their 32 league goals so far this season in the second half of games
Line-ups
Dortmund: Bürki - Meunier, Hummels, Zagadou (Akanji 45'+2), Guerreiro - Can, Bellingham (Moukoko 60') - Sancho, Reus (c), Brandt - Haaland
Unused subs: Hitz, Morey, Delaney, Schulz, Reinier, Tigges, Passlack
Out: Hazard (thigh), Reyna (illness), Schmelzer (knee), Witsel (Achilles tendon)
Coach: Edin Terzic
Mainz: Zentner - Niakhate, Bell, Hack- Öztunali, Latza (c) (Stöger 90'), Barreiro, Mwene - Boetius (Tauer 79') - Quaison (Onisiwo 65'), Burkardt (Szalai 79')
Unused subs: Dahmen, Mateta, Kilian, Papela, Nebel
Out: Fernandes (not included), Kunde (knee), St. Juste (thigh)
Coach: Bo Svensson
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