Borussia Dortmund continue to weaken in the Bundesliga. After conceding three goals in the first half, the team led by international goalkeeper Gregor Kobel lost 2:4 at second-to-last Holstein Kiel.
14.01.2025, 22:22
15.01.2025, 08:33
SDA
Giovanni Reyna, assisted by Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner, and Jamie Gittens on the follow-up could only reduce the visitors' deficit after an inferior first 45 minutes with some hair-raising carelessness.
Even a red card against Kiel's Lewis Holtby in the 86th minute did not help to equalize. Jann-Fiete Arp made everything clear in the 98th minute with the fourth goal from over 40 meters into the empty goal, when Kobel also tried to equalize in the opponent's penalty area.
As a result, Dortmund are now outside the European Cup places after half a stint. The weaknesses under embattled coach Nuri Sahin are particularly glaring in foreign stadiums: Dortmund have lost six of their nine away games in the championship and won just one.
Sahin himself spoke of an "absolute zero performance" after the game. Managing director Lars Ricken, who backed the coach, did not mince his words in his criticism: "At the moment, with games like this, it's simply embarrassing and shameful and also unworthy of how we represent the black and yellow colors here."
Mini-victory for Leverkusen - thumping for Seoane's Gladbach
Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt, the first chasers of leaders Bayern Munich, celebrated tricky home victories. Champions Leverkusen won 1-0 with captain Granit Xhaka against fifth-placed Mainz, while Frankfurt beat former sixth-placed Freiburg 4-1 after falling behind.
Omar Marmoush, whose winter transfer to Manchester City has become more concrete in recent days, set up Robin Koch's equalizer and Nnamdi Collins' fourth goal to make it 2-1. The Egyptian now has 15 goals and 9 assists in the first half of the season. Aleix Garcia was responsible for Leverkusen's winning goal at the start of the second half.
Gerardo Seoane's Mönchengladbach suffered a bitter defeat. The Foals went down 5-1 in Wolfsburg.