FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Hertha Berlin’s dogged defense frustrated Borussia Dortmund’s high-scoring attack for 80 minutes before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang notched the equalizer for a 1-1 draw in a Bundesliga match on Friday that saw both teams finish with 10 men.
Aubameyang hit the post and wasted a penalty before scoring his league-high sixth goal of the season.
Valentin Stocker put Berlin ahead in the 51st, but was sent off in the 90th for a harsh tackle. Dortmund’s Emre Mor was also sent off, six minutes earlier.
The outcome left Berlin second and Dortmund third, at least provisionally. Both teams could drop depending on other weekend results, with Cologne and RB Leipzig both within striking distance.
Few chances came in a dull first half but the match livened up after the break.
Berlin went ahead on a rare, but well-executed attack. Vedad Ibisevic picked up a throw-in and fed Stocker with a back-heel pass through Dortmund’s defense and the midfielder slotted past Roman Buerki.
Ousmane Dembele came in for the ineffective Germany forward Mario Goetze and gave Dortmund’s game an element of unpredictability.
Dortmund pressed ahead and Aubameyang’s chipped shot hit the post before Dortmund earned a penalty for a handball. Shinji Kagawa’s shot hit the arm of his Japan teammate Genki Haraguchi. Aubameyang took the spot kick but Berlin’s goalkeeper Rune Jarstein read his shot and dived to his left to save it.
Three minutes later, Dortmund got the equalizer, after Dembele’s ruin on the left and a cross to the far post for Aubameyang to knock it in.
Mor was then sent off for pushing down Sebastian Langkamp, who had dragged the teenager for several meters before falling down dramatically.
There was nothing to discuss about the expulsion of Stocker, who swept Matthias Ginter off his feet from behind.
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