BVB still winless in the Rückrunde

In an odd series of defending breakdowns, BVB twice gave up two goal leads to play Hannover 96 to a 4-4 draw. While the draw is not-so surprising for die Schwarzgelben, the uncharacteristic defending was disheartening.

Using the customary 4-4-2 diamond Jürgen Klopp welcomed Sebastian Kehl back from suspension with Alexander Frei and Patrick Owomoyela coming in for Mohamed Zidan and Kevin-Prince Boateng who were both unavailable. BVB took the lead seventeen minutes in after Nuri Şahin was felled in the area by Michael Tarnat and the spot was pointed to. Frei confidently gave BVB the lead but Sahin had to leave due to injury. Ten minutes later Florian Kringe, who had come in for Sahin, doubled the margin as he profited from a great linkup of play between Nelson Valdez and Tamás Hajnal. After failing to increase the lead the Hannover side was urged on by its fans with Jiří Štajner heading in a corner three minutes before the break. The goal invigorated the hosts and came out of break running roughshod over BVB. Three minutes into the half a defending weary BVB gave up another set-piece as Arnold Bruggink found the back of the net. After withstanding a series of attacking waves BVB took the lead when Florian Kringe volleyed in Patrick Owomoyela's cross two minutes past the hour. The swirling onslaught continued as Alexander Frei restored the two goal margin only a few minutes later as he accepted the Paraguayan Valdez' through ball and confidently pounded the ball in from thirty metres. Remarkably the two goal margin was not enough as Hannover fought back to square the match up, first with ex-Schalke man Mike Hanke goal with ten minutes remaining and only three minutes later, after the spot was pointed to per Neven Subotić bringing down Hanke in area, Mikael Forssell converted.

Still winless in the Rückrunde, BVB have fallen to ninth in the table and now face Werder and Hertha BSC is successive weeks.