The Albany Gazette - Brandt strikes late for Dortmund as Leverkusen stay top

Dortmund twice came from behind to level the scores against in-form Frankfurt, claiming a draw which keeps them within two points of champions Bayern Munich ahead of next weekend's clash.

Edin Terzic's side are now four points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who beat Freiburg 2-1.

"If you look at the way the game went, we have to be happy with the point," Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck told DAZN.

Hit by injuries in the wake of their 1-0 win over Newcastle United in the Champions League in midweek, Dortmund struggled to contain Frankfurt in the first half.

The hosts took the lead after just eight minutes, Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush smashing a penalty down the middle after a handball from Marius Wolf in the box.

Marmoush doubled the lead with a poacher's finish shortly afterwards, as Frankfurt continued to carve through Dortmund on the counter-attack.

The visitors suffered yet another setback when goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was forced to go off with a nose injury after colliding with Schlotterbeck.

His replacement, Alexander Meyer, was then lucky to avoid giving away another penalty with a risky challenge on Marmoush.

"I think he touched the ball before me, so maybe I was a bit lucky," admitted Meyer.

Dortmund continued to ride their luck until first-half injury time, when Marcel Sabitzer made it 2-1 against the run of play with a sharp finish.

Marmoush missed a good chance to complete his hat-trick early in the second half and Frankfurt were soon left to rue their wastefulness in front of goal.

Just 10 minutes after coming on for Donyell Malen, teenage striker Youssoufa Moukoko drilled in a low shot from the edge of the area to level the scores.

Yet Frankfurt are riding a wave of superb form at the moment, and they quickly restored the lead through Fares Chaibi.

The Algeria international shook off compatriot Ramy Bensebaini in the box to smash home his first Bundesliga goal since joining from Toulouse in August.

Brandt, who had been partly at fault for Chaibi's goal, made amends on 82 minutes when he turned in a Karim Adeyemi cross with a first-time finish.

- Leverkusen defend top spot -

Dortmund face Hoffenheim in the cup in midweek before hosting old rivals Bayern in next Saturday's headline match.

Both Dortmund and Bayern remain behind Bayer Leverkusen, who defended top spot for the fourth week in a row with their win at Freiburg.

"I am very happy. They put a lot of pressure on us at the end there, but sometimes it's good to win games like that, and to have to suffer a bit," said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.

Alonso's side had 80 percent possession in the first half, showing the kind of dominance which has now seen them win eight of their first nine games.

Playmaker Florian Wirtz put the hosts in front with a mazy solo run into the box from the wing on 36 minutes.

Wirtz, who has been linked with a move to Bayern in recent weeks, then helped set up Jonas Hofmann for his side's second on the hour mark.

Manuel Gulde grabbed a goal back for Freiburg with a well-timed header at a free-kick, but Leverkusen clung on to stay a point clear of Bayern at the top.

(T.Martin--TAG)