Dortmund held in Augsburg

Augsburg 1-1 Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Hazard 35' (assist: Dahoud), 1-1 Sarenren Bazee 78' (assist: Maier)

Eager to arrest a run of disappointing results tallying just one win in eight prior to kick-off, Augsburg began on the front foot and refused to give their visitors any time on the ball. Their bold approach produced the first chance of the game too, as Michael Gregoritsch beat Axel Witsel to connect with Daniel Caligiuri’s corner, but he could only direct his header wide of the upright. The action was concentrated largely in a congested midfield third after that until a moment of magic from Hazard opened up the game. The Belgian twisted and turned past Mads Pedersen and Felix Uduokhai before drilling a low, angled shot into the bottom corner to give Dortmund a narrow half-time lead.

Clear-cut chances remained at a premium after the interval, although Donyell Malen twice went close to adding to the scoreline, first with a shot that Rafal Gikiewicz did well to tip onto the crossbar before the Dutchman fired into the side netting from a tight angle. At the other end of the pitch, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw could have equalised from Mads Pedersen’s left-wing cross but he couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough to beat Gregor Kobel. The Dortmund goalkeeper almost gifted the home side a goal shortly after that when his attempted pass out from the back fell straight at the feet of Noah Sarenren Bazee, but the substitute’s shot was blocked. Still, those openings encouraged Augsburg to keep going and their persistence was rewarded following a swift attack down the left, with Sarenren Bazee eventually diverting Arne Maier’s bouncing shot into the net from close range to rescue a valuable point in their quest to avoid relegation.

• Julian Brandt made his 250th Bundesliga appearance here at the age of 25 years, 301 days. Eike Immel (25 years, 269 days) and Karl-Heinz Körbel (25 years, 287 days) are the only players in league history to have been younger when reaching that landmark.
• Hazard's goal, his fourth of the season, came with his first shot of the game.
• Dortmund have now scored at least once in 55 of their last 56 Bundesliga outings.
• Mo Dahoud has two goals and three assists in seven league outings so far in 2022.
• Augsburg have won 16 of their 23 points this season at home.
• Sarenren Bazee's goal was just his second overall in the Bundesliga, coming in his 43rd game. It was the eighth time a substitute has scored for Augsburg this season.

Watch: Hazard: "We need to do more"

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Oxford, Gouweleeuw (c), Uduokhai, Pedersen (Iago 71') - Caligiuri, Maier, Dorsch (Gruezo 59'), Vargas (Günther 89') - Pepi (Niederlechner 59'), Gregoritsch (Sarenren Bazee 70')
Unused subs: Koubek, Moravek, Winther, Framberger
Out: Finnbogason (groin), Gumny (ankle), Hahn (suspended), Strobl (knee), Zeqiri (not included)
Coach: Markus Weinzierl 

Dortmund: Kobel - Can, Hummels (c), Pongracic, Guerreiro - Dahoud (Reinier 81'), Witsel, Bellingham - Brandt (Wolf 68'), Malen (Moukoko 68'), Hazard
Unused subs: Hitz, Coulibaly, Schulz, Tigges, Passlack
Out: Akanji (calf), Haaland (groin), Meunier (muscular), Morey (knee), Reyna (thigh), Reus (thigh), Schmelzer (knee), Zagadou (thigh)
Coach: Marco Rose

Watch: Can: "We're Dortmund - our aim has to be the top"