A pulsating 100th Bundesliga Revierderby saw Schalke 04 twice fight back to claim a 2-2 draw via Marius Bülter’s goal and assist, snapping Borussia Dortmund’s previous streak of four straight H2H wins to-nil to stay within touching distance of safety.
Having begun this clash unbeaten in six, Schalke hoped to shut out their opponents once again, but it wasn’t to be in a first half fraught with chances at both ends.
He made assured saves from close-range attempts by Raphaël Guerreiro, Donyell Malen and Marius Wolf, but finally conceded for the 300th time in Bundesliga action when Nico Schlotterbeck strode goalward from defence, before firing a powerful strike from distance that nestled into the far corner.
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Whatever Thomas Reis said at HT worked wonders soon after the restart, and it wasn’t long before the majority of the 62,000 in attendance were able to celebrate a deserved leveller.
That culminated in Michael Frey’s across-goal pass being turned in by Marius Bülter, levelling the clash to send the Veltins Arena wild at the sight of a first Revierderby home goal since December 2018.
But with Schalke still firmly in the game, Dortmund were made to regret Jamie Bynoe-Gittens’ subsequent missed chance as the home side forged a late equaliser.
The Schwarzgelben defenders could but stand and stare as the home crowd erupted once more, and with the match in the balance, both sides saw late chances go begging.
While Dortmund have now lost their 100% Bundesliga record in 2023, Schalke will be delighted to have overcome the odds with an unlikely point in their quest for survival.
