Borussia Dortmund let a commanding lead slip away in dramatic fashion as hosts St Pauli fought back late to secure a 3-3 draw in their Bundesliga season opener on Saturday.
Dortmund looked to be cruising with a 3-1 advantage heading into the closing stages, but the Hamburg side struck twice in the final four minutes to deny Niko Kovac’s men maximum points.
Danel Sinani converted an 86th-minute penalty, which also saw Filippo Mane dismissed for a straight red,b before captain Eric Smith unleashed a fierce effort from the edge of the box just three minutes later to seal a memorable comeback.
Kovac admitted his side were second-best physically and lacked tempo in possession.
“We knew this would be a very tough match, and St Pauli made life difficult with their discipline,” the Dortmund coach said. “But at 3-1 up, we should never end with a draw. For Dortmund, one point is not enough.”
The visitors had taken control earlier through Serhou Guirassy, who nodded home a Marcel Sabitzer cross in the 34th minute, taking his Bundesliga tally to 65 goals in 102 appearances, a mark bettered by only five players in league history.
Guirassy spurned the chance to double his haul shortly after when Nikola Vasilj saved his penalty, with the Bosnian goalkeeper also denying Julian Brandt’s thunderous effort early in the second half.
St Pauli found a way back in the 50th minute after Daniel Svensson lost possession near his own area, allowing Andreas Hountondji to head in the equaliser.
Dortmund responded with style as Waldemar Anton’s deflected strike restored their lead in the 67th, before Brandt showcased his class seven minutes later, controlling a Pascal Gross cross in one touch and rifling home their third.
Yet, the closing stages turned the contest on its head. Sinani’s spot-kick reignited the hosts’ hopes, and Smith’s late rocket ensured Dortmund’s opener ended in frustration.
Elsewhere, defending champions Bayern Munich began their title defence on Friday with a convincing win over RB Leipzig, while last season’s runners-up Bayer Leverkusen stumbled to a 2-1 defeat at home to Hoffenheim.