Dortmund held by Bremen

Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Werder Bremen
Goals: 0-1 Rashica (8'), 1-1 Götze (9'), 2-1 Reus (41'), 2-2 Friedl (55')

Having dealt Dortmund's title hopes a hammer blow in an unlikely 2-2 draw late last season, Werder put the cat amongst the pigeons once again on their return to the Signal Iduna Park. The returning Milot Rashica capitalised on some hesitant defending to fire the Green-Whites into an eighth-minute lead, but parity lasted barely 60 seconds as Mario Götze headed in from Lukasz Piszczek to level. Thorgan Hazard, Jadon Sancho and Rashica traded chances, before Marco Reus popped up with a deft close-range header to give BVB the half-time advantage.

Dortmund might have been even better off at the break were it not for Jiri Pavlenka's five save to deny Mahmoud Dahoud. Roman Bürki pulled off an impressive stop of his own to thwart USA international Josh Sargent soon after the restart, but was powerless to prevent Marco Friedl levelling moments later - the former Bayern Munich defender poking in from Sargent. Achraf Hakimi tested Pavlenka and Hazard saw an effort blocked as BVB went in search of a late winner. They almost got one, but substitute Paco Alcacer was unable to apply the finishing touch to a pair of fine passes - first from Sancho and then Julian Brandt.

• BVB have scored at least one goal in their last 28 league home games - a club record, dating back to the Jürgen Klopp era.
• Bremen knocked Dortmund out of the DFB Cup last season, winning their last-16 tie on penalties. They also came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with BVB on Matchday 32, leaving Bayern four points clear at the top and all but handing them the Bundesliga title.
• Friedl scored his first Bundesliga goal on his 23rd top-flight appearance.
• All four of Reus' four Bundesliga goals this season have come in Dortmund.
• Reus has scored more goals in appearances against Bremen than against any Bundesliga club (13 in 17).
• Götze netted his 55th Bundesliga goal, and first since May 2019.
• Rashica scored his first of the season, following four matches out injured. The Kosovo forward hit 10 goals last term.

Dortmund: Bürki - Piszczek, Weigl, Akanji, Hakimi - Witsel, Dahoud (Brandt 67') - Sancho (Guerreiro 80'), Reus (c), Hazard - Götze (Alcacer 72')
Unused subs: Hitz, Zagadou, Delaney, Balerdi, Morey, Bruun Larsen
Out: Hummels (back), Schulz (ankle)
Coach: Lucien Favre

Bremen: Pavlenka - Lang, Gebre Selassie, Groß, Friedl - M. Eggestein, Sahin (c), Klaassen - Bittencourt (J. Eggestein 82'), Sargent (Pizarro 87'), Rashica (Goller 73')
Unused subs: Kapino, Veljkovic, Straudi, Bargfrede
Out: Augustinsson (knee), Bartels (knee), Füllkrug (torn ACL), Möhwald (knee), Moisander (calf), Osako (thigh), Toprak (match fitness)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt