Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund stepped things up a level in pre-season with their latest task against European football regulars Villarreal, and they came away with a hard-fought 2-2 draw.
In the sweltering Altach heat, the two sides played 120 minutes of football split into four 30 minute quarters. In the first two quarters, Dortmund maintained possession well and got into some dangerous areas through Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Julian Ryerson, with new signing Pascal Groß also looking composed in the middle of the park. Despite this, it was Villarreal who took the lead through Ramon Terrats after a short back pass from Ramy Bensebaini allowed him to round Gregor Kobel and finish with ease for the game’s first goal. The second goal for the Spanish side followed a similar pattern. Dortmund struggled to clear a low cross into the box and the ball eventually fell to the grateful Denis Suarez, who passed the ball into Kobel’s bottom corner.
The third quarter saw plenty of changes for Dortmund, but Bynoe-Gittens remained on the field and he showed why with a marvelous strike from just outside the box to bring his side back into the game. More changes saw the introduction of the talented Julien Duranville and the more experienced Marcel Sabitzer among others, and it was these two that combined for the equaliser. Duranville did what he does best and left his defender chasing shadows, before squaring for the sliding Sabitzer to score from a couple of yards out.
Dortmund are currently preparing for the new season in a second training camp, having been in Thailand and Japan earlier this summer. In Bad Ragaz, coach Nuri Şahin's team have already taken part in several public training sessions, some of which have included BVB's new signings. Yan Couto joined the team on Friday, and on Saturday he was on the pitch with his new colleagues for the first time.
After another session on Monday, their penultimate pre-season friendly match took place at the Altach Cashpoint Arena against Villarreal, and next up it's Premier League side Aston Villa, before their competitive season kicks off against Phönix Lübeck in the DFB Cup.
Recap the 2-2 draw against Villarreal as it happend:
The fourth quarter comes to an end here in Altach and it ends all square, with Dortmund coming back from two goals down to draw with Villareal.
Duranville gets in behind the Villarreal defence and is one-on-one with the onrushing 'keeper, but the flag is raised for offside
The visitors win the ball in the Dortmund half and drive toward goal, but the subsequent cross can't be controlled and Dortmund regain possession.
On the edge of the box from the right-hand side, Moukoko fires against the wall.
Some nice footwork on the byline sees Campbell beat his defender and fire directly at the 'keeper, winning the corner with few other options available.
Moukoko finds Duranville on the left-hand side of the box, who bursts to the byline before passing into Sabitzer, who lies waiting two yards out to knock it into an empty net.
Dortmund have free-kick from close range after Özcan was tripped after regaining possession. Sabitzer bends it over the top right-hand corner.
Villarreal have a free-kick approximately 30 yards out, which is fired over Meyer's goal.
Duranville's shot from close range is blocked and goes out for a corner, but Dortmund end up back in their own half.
A good run by Sabitzer is found by Duranville but the Austrian's subsequent cross is blocked.
After 90 minutes, play goes on and the fourth and final quarter begins.
An over-hit Cole Campbell corner brings the second quarter to an end.
A corner is taken quickly and passed toward the edge of the box, where the following shot is straight at Meyer.
Substitute Sabitzer heads toward the byline on the left before lofting a ball to the far post, but the ball spins out of play with two yellow shirts waiting.
Youngster Kabar is shown a yellow card for a late challenge.
Nuri Sahin has taken the opportunity to make more changes: Bensebaini, Reyna, Nmecha, Adeyemi and Bynoe-Gittens have been replaced by Özcan, Duranville, Sabitzer, Campbell and Kabar.
Moukoko gets in between two defenders, pushes the ball to the byline and shots low to the 'keeper's near post, winning a corner.
Bynoe-Gittens pulls one back! The Englishman cuts onto his right foot on the edge of the box, coming into the centre before firing into the far right corner. Great finish!
Villareal make good progress on the right, but a through ball into Fofana is played too late and the flag is raised.
Dortmund have made a few changes this quarter: Kobel, Schlotterbeck, Haller and Groß have all been replaced by Meyer, Anton, Moukoko and Can.
Ryerson goes over an outstretched leg in the area, but the referee deems that it was not a foul.
The ball is rolling as the third quarter begins.
And with that foul comes the end of the second quarter
Süle heads home from a corner, but the whistle is blown for a foul on the goalkeeper by Haller.
The youngster drives at Bailly before cutting in onto his right foot and bending a shot toward the far corner, which is well saved.
Haller receives the ball on the half-turn just outside the penalty area and looks to play in Bynoe-Gittens, but he puts too much on his pass and it goes out of play.
Nmecha finds himself with a bit of space just inside the area and fires a fierce shot at Conde, who punches it away to safety.
Despite having plenty of the ball and getting into some good areas, Dortmund have struggled to create clear chances.
It's now 0-2 to the Yellow Submarine! Santi intercepts a ball into the box as Dortmund try to clear and the ball falls to Denis Suarez, who passes the ball into the far corner from around 10 yards out.
Villarreal have mainly looked dangerous on the counter so far, but they're now growing into the game in terms of possession.
A brilliant cross-field pass is received by Ryerson, who cuts back to Adeyemi but the young German forward snatches at the shot and it rolls wide.
Villarreal receive a free-kick in their own half after Bynoe-Gittens is over eager in winning the ball back.
First Ryerson and then Adeyemi beat their man on the right-hand side in a good area before their final pass is cut out. Dortmund are having joy down that side so far.
After a short break, both teams are back out and play has resumed
Terrats' finish marks the end of the first half hour of this friendly.
After a short back pass from Bensebaini to Kobel, Terrats steals in and pokes the ball past the onrushing Dortmund 'keeper.
From the following free-kick, Felix Nmecha flicks a header on which is saved by Conde and goes out for a corner. Dortmund can't make the most of the following corner, though.
Ryerson latches onto a long ball and crosses, but it's too high for his teammates. Luckily for Dortmund, Villarreal commit a foul on the far side.
The Dortmund right-back is back to his feet and already racing forward again.
After a late challenge from Cardona, Ryerson has stayed down.
As a result of high temperatures here in Altach, both teams have taken a quick drinks break.
A cross from the right hand side by Süle drops to Gio Reyna at the far post, who has time to take a touch before firing at Conde in goal, great chance!
Nuri Sahin's side have dominated possession in the early stages, with new signing Groß having had plenty of the ball already.
Both sides have started brightly, getting the ball to their forwards quickly at any given opportunity.
After Villarreal hit the inside of the post of Kobel's goal, Dortmund immediately go up the other end and threaten through Bynoe-Gittens, who flashes a shot across goal.
A cross is whipped into the Dortmund boy from the left hand side and is cleared behind for a Villarreal corner.
Sebastien Haller kicks off for Dortmund and we're underway here in Altach.