Leverkusen salvage Dortmund draw to stay unbeaten

Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 1-0 Füllkrug 81' (assist: Sabitzer), 1-1 Stanišić 90'+7 (assist: Wirtz)

Playing in their first Bundesliga game since wrapping up the title, Leverkusen started on the front foot as Jeremie Frimpong sent a rising drive over Gregor Kobel's crossbar. Frimpong was on the end of Bayer's next attack, but could not keep his header from Nathan Tella's cross down. Dortmund survived a nervy VAR check for a possible penalty against Emre Can, before testing the visiting rearguard for the first time. Julian Ryerson created the opening, which culminated in Marcel Sabitzer forcing a strong diving save from Lukáš Hrádecký. Leverkusen threatened one last time before the half-time whistle, but Jonas Hofmann was stopped in his tracks right on the edge of the area by Mats Hummels's superb sliding challenge.

Leverkusen continued to control the play in the second half, with Frimpong a constant outlet on the right-hand side. The Dutchman lay in wait as Álex Grimaldo sent over a trademark cross from the left, but again Hummels got in the way. Former Dortmund midfielder Hofmann created arguably the best chance of the game when he sprang the offside trap and steered a pass across goal for Tella, whose first-time effort on the stretch lacked the necessary power to beat the diving Kobel. Florian Wirtz was sent on for Leverkusen, but Dortmund kept Xabi Alonso's team at arm's length and were rewarded for their dogged efforts as Niclas Füllkrug volleyed in Sabitzer's cross with nine minutes of normal time remaining. Substitute Victor Boniface had a red card overturned in a tempestuous finale, but just when it looked like Leverkusen's streak was going to be ended, Stanišić headed in a Wirtz corner to secure a point. Leverkusen's prospects of an unbeaten treble live on; Dortmund stay fifth, two points behind top-four rivals and upcoming opponents RB Leipzig.

Watch: Josip Stanišić - 'Nobody gave up'

• Leverkusen's 45-game unbeaten is an on-going record among teams in Europe's top five leagues.
• The 2023/24 champions are the first team in Bundesliga history to go 30 games without loss.
• They have scored in all but one of their 45 competitive games, including 26 goals after the 80th minute of matches.
• Füllkrug scored his 12th Bundesliga goal of the season.
• Leverkusen have 80 points, with four games to go. If they win the lot, they will break Bayern Munich's record for most points in a season (91, 2012/13).
• The teams also drew 1-1 in Leverkusen earlier this season, making Dortmund the only Bundesliga side to face the champions twice so far in 2023/24 without losing.

>>> Get Stanišić for your Fantasy team for 7M!

Watch: Xabi Alonso - 'We didn't deserve to lose'

Dortmund: Kobel - Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen (Wolf 46') - Sabitzer, Can (c) (Nmecha 69') - Sancho (Reus 69'), Brandt (Özcan 83'), Bynoe-Gittens (Duranville 83') - Füllkrug
Unused subs: Meyer, Süle, Wätjen, Moukoko
Out: Adeyemi (suspended), Bensebaini (knee), Haller (ankle), Malen (knee)
Coach: Edin Terzić

Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié (Boniface 83') - Stanišić, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo - Frimpong, Hofmann (Schick 83') - Tella (Wirtz 70')
Unused subs: Kovář, Kossounou, Arthur, Mbamba, Palacios, Puerta
Out: Adli (suspended), Hložek (ankle), Iglesias (muscular)
Coach: Xabi Alonso