Borussia Dortmund went joint-last in the Bundesliga on Sunday after Hannover 96 scored two late goals to draw SC Freiburg 2-2 as the league went on winter break.
The Bundesliga starts its vacation leaving last season’s runners-up Dortmund level on 15 points and a goal-difference of minus-eight alongside last-placed Freiburg.
Goals by striker Mike Frantz and defender Marc-Oliver Kempf had put the hosts 2-0 up at their Schwarzwald Stadium before Hannover scored twice in the last 10 minutes to claim a point.
Photo: EPA
Midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt struck on 83 minutes before Spanish star Joselu netted in the third minute of added-time to deny Freiburg their first win since the start of last month.
Earlier on Sunday, Hertha BSC defender John Brooks gave away his side’s first two goals in their 5-0 thrashing at home by TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
The US international turned the ball into his own net on 23 minutes at the Olympiastadion and gave away a penalty three minutes later.
Bosnia midfielder Sejad Salihovic drilled home the spot-kick and things went from bad to worse for Hertha.
Brooks’ teammate Nico Schulz was unlucky to concede a penalty after nudging Hoffenheim captain Andreas Beck on 39 minutes and Salihovic converted his second.
Hertha capitulated in the second half as Sven Schipplock added to the hosts’ misery when he walked the ball into an empty net on 74 minutes after a Hoffenheim counterattack.
Germany international Sebastian Rudy then came off the Hoffenheim bench to grab the fifth goal.
Hertha coach Jos Luhukay said his side had contributed to their downfall: “We really helped them, you only have to look at the goals.”
As the first half of the season wrapped up, Dortmund captain Mats Hummels admitted there is no guarantee that the Schwarzgelben will avoid relegation next May.
“There is no guarantee things will improve,” he told German daily Bild after his side were beaten 2-1 at Werder Bremen on Saturday.
“Almost all of our first-choice players were missing at some point in the first half of the season and weren’t always 100 percent fit,” Hummels said. “We should manage to get everyone fit during January’s winter break, then we can show a different side when we have our best 15 or 16 players.”
Dortmund were last relegated from the Bundesliga in the 1971-1972 season, when they finished the first half of the campaign in 15th. They are now in 17th and their points tally of 15 is their worst at this stage since the 1987-1988 season.
Having finished runners-up to Bayern for the past two years, this is the first time Dortmund have gone into the winter break in a direct relegation spot. Their 10 defeats and just four points picked up away are both top-flight low marks.
Despite posting their worst start to a Bundesliga season for 27 years, Dortmund qualified for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League after winning their group.
“The fact that we look like complete idiots on the pitch, serves us right,” coach Juergen Klopp said. “We played the shittiest first half of the season in our lives.”
Klopp has said he will ensure Dortmund put in a more convincing display when the season resumes at the end of next month.
“It will be much more difficult to beat us,” Klopp added. “We’re not that far away from climbing out of trouble. We will be a fierce hunter [of those above us], I can promise that.”
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