Düsseldorf halt Dortmund
November 27, 2012Borussia Dortmund were held to a draw at home Tuesday night by regional rivals Fortuna Düsseldorf. It was an impressive result for the newly-promoted hosts, who managed to hold on despite being reduced to 10 men.
Dortmund controlled a majority of the possession for most of the opening half, but it took until the 43rd minute before they could get on the scoreboard.
Jakub Blaszczykowski, who recently returned from injury, put his side 1-0 up with an impressive right-footed effort. Kevin Grosskreutz played a ball to the Polish winger known as "Kuba," who volleyed the ball from the top of the box past Düsseldorf keeper Fabian Giefer.
Düsseldorf battle back
Despite conceding just before halftime, the visitors continued to battle against the reigning, two-time Bundesliga champions.
In the 78th minute, Stefan Riesinger - the man who sealed his side's victory with a fantastic solo effort against Hamburg last week - scored the equalizer. Robbie Kruse crossed the ball in from the left wing, and Riesinger rose between two Dortmund defenders to head the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
But Düsseldorf's challenges were not over. In the 87th minute midfielder Ivan Paurevic was shown his second yellow, leaving the visitors with just 10 men.
Somehow, retaining just 29 percent of possession, Düsseldorf held on to earn a point in the Signal Iduna Park - something even Spanish giants Real Madrid have been unable to do this season.
It was a surprising result to begin in the latest edition of the Bundesliga's "Englische Woche" (English Week) - so named for the frequency with which English clubs play midweek matches.
A fantastic debut
Visiting Mainz put on an impressive show against Eintracht Frankfurt, sending three past the fourth-placed side. It was 19-year-old Shawn Parker, making his Bundesliga debut, who stole the show.
Parker set up the first goal in the 18th minute when he sent a low cross into a cutting Andreas Ivanschitz, who placed a low finish past goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to give the visitors the lead.
Just before halftime, the Germany youth international scored one of his own when he collected a Eugen Polanski shot at the center of the box and powered a confident finish into the bottom right corner.
Parker continued to test the Frankfurt defense when just minutes after halftime, he flicked a chip shot over Trapp and towards goal. But his effort went a hair too high and bounced off the crossbar.
Nikolce Noveski added a third in the 52nd minute, but Adam Szalai misdirected a Takashi Inui cross into his own net moments later to make the score 3-1, where it would remain until the final whistle.
The ovation Parker received upon his 69th-minute exit was well deserved, and Mainz fans will be hoping for a bright future from the young attacker.
Hamburg rebound against Schalke
Hamburg were looking to improve on their dismal result from last Friday, a 2-0 defeat that also saw them lose star midfielder Rafael van der Vaart to injury.
It turns out missing the Dutchman was no problem for the hosts, who were playing a Schalke side that also omitted key players from the starting lineup.
After a scoreless first half, Maximilian Beister earned his first career Bundesliga goal in the 52nd minute with a blinding shot from the left side of the box. Following a Milan Badelj through ball, Beister sent a reportedly 117 kph (72 mph) effort past a helpless Lars Unnerstall to make it 1-0.
Artjoms Rudnevs doubled the hosts' lead in the 65th minute after a Dennis Diekmeier cross found the Latvian wide open in the six yard box.
Schalke were given the chance to pull one back in the 80th minute when Tomas Rincon handled the ball in the box. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's penalty attempt was saved by Rene Adler, but the rebound fell right to the Dutchman, who easily converted to make it 2-1.
The goal would prove to be a false hope for Schalke when they conceded a penalty of their own 10 minutes later. Badelj finished dispatched the spot kick with ease, and it ended 3-1 to Hamburg.
Fürth woes continue
A 2-0 score line was perhaps a bit unfair to newly-promoted Greuther Fürth in their match away to Hannover. Mame Biram Diouf nabbed an early goal when he received the ball at the top of the box, beat his defender and sent a clinical finish low past Fürth goalkeeper Max Grün in the fourth minute.
Although finding themselves trailing early yet again, the visitors ran at Hannover, impressively controlling some 60 percent of possession in the first half.
Unfortunately for Fürth, they could not turn their strong passing performance into a goal, mustering only three shots on target all game.
Hannover scored a second in the 69th minute when Mario Eggimann headed in a Jan Schlaudraff corner.
The goal seemed to deflate the visitors, who have found themselves struggling at the bottom of the Bundesliga table this season. It finished 2-0, and Fürth now have just seven points from 14 games played this year.