Borussia Dortmund’s first league title in 11 years was denied, but the fans didn’t leave their seats.
Dortmund drew 2-2 with Mainz in the final match of the 34th round of the 2022-23 German Bundesliga at the Zignale Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, at 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. The draw took Dortmund’s tally to 71 points, but Bayern Munich’s victory over Cologne ensured that the Bavarians would be crowned champions.
Both teams were at full strength in the crucial match, especially Dortmund, who were in a title race with Munich in the same time slot, with Dortmund top of the league with 70 points and Munich second with 68.
But Mainz threw cold water on Dortmund’s title hopes. They opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Andreas Hanche-Olsen headed home a corner from Edmilson Fernandes.스포츠토토
Dortmund were not without chances. But when they did come, they missed them. In the 19th minute, Sebastien Haller stepped up to take a penalty kick that was awarded to Raphael Guerreiro, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
Mainz widened the gap. It started at the feet of Lee Jae-Sung. In the 24th minute, Lee Jae-Sung sent in an exquisite cross from the left flank, and Karim Onisibo headed it home. The first half ended with Dortmund trailing 0-2.
Desperate for a win, Dortmund began to show more urgency in the second half and eventually found the equaliser in the 23rd minute through Geheiro. Niklas Zuerle equalised in stoppage time. However, the match ended 2-2, with Munich beating Cologne at the same time to draw level with Dortmund on 71 points but win the title on goal difference.
It was the end of an 11-year title drought. Dortmund last won the Bundesliga in 2011-12 and had been crowned champions for 10 consecutive years. This season, however, it looked as though they were going to win their first league title in 11 years, as they led until the final game of the season.
However, the home fans didn’t leave the Dortmund players after the game. The attendance at the stadium was around 81,000, with the majority of Dortmund fans staying on the pitch to sing and applaud the tearful players until the end.
In response, European football transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on social media, “Watch Dortmund lose the title in the last game and show it. This is football,” he wrote on social media. It’s a testament to the love that Dortmund fans have for their club, which is always one of the most passionate in the Bundesliga.