Haaland strikes late as Dortmund and Leverkusen drop points

A late equaliser from Erling Braut Haaland spared Borussia Dortmund’s blushes on Saturday as both they and Bayer Leverkusen dropped points in the race for the top four.

Haaland’s 81st minute strike saved a 2-2 draw at home to Hoffenheim and averted a fourth defeat in five Bundesliga games for crisis-hit Dortmund.

Yet even a draw leaves Dortmund three points adrift of the Champions League places in sixth, and heaps more pressure on interim coach Edin Terzic.

Dortmund have won just four of ten league games since Terzic took the reins from Lucien Favre in December, prompting growing speculation over his future.

Yet veteran defender Mats Hummels defended his coach on Saturday and backed Dortmund to revive their season.

“It’s never the case that things are exactly how you want them a few weeks after a new coach takes over. That wasn’t the case years ago under Jurgen Klopp, and it isn’t the case now under Edin,” Hummels told Sky.

“We’re working hard, and success will come,” he added.

England international Jadon Sancho gave Dortmund a perfect start, racing up the left-wing to score his fourth league goal this season on 24 minutes.

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The lead didn’t last long, as Munas Dabbur scuffed a shot past Marwin Hitz to level just seven minutes later.

Ihlas Bebou bundled in Hoffenheim’s second just after half-time, the ball bouncing off the Togolese and into the goal as Hitz tried to beat away a dangerous cross from the left wing.

Haaland had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half before pouncing on a misplaced pass to snatch a crucial late equaliser.