Borussia Dortmund lost to Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 in an entertaining match at Signal Iduna Park.
Despite a spirited comeback in the second half, Dortmund's defensive lapses in the early stages proved costly, as Leverkusen's finishing helped them secure all three points in this Bundesliga encounter.
The match started with a bang as Bayer Leverkusen seized the initiative almost immediately. Nathan Tella opened the scoring in the first minute with a stunning right-footed shot into the top left corner after a well-timed header from Robert Andric.
Dortmund faced difficulties in regaining its balance before Leverkusen doubled their lead after just seven minutes.
Patrik Schick found space in the penalty area and fired a right-footed shot into the top right corner after an assist from Piero Hincapie.
Dortmund responded in the 12th minute through Jimmy Gittens, who shot the ball with his left foot from close range, bringing the hosts back into the game.
Starting in 2025 with a W! 😮💨
90+5′ | 2-3 | #BVBB04 pic.twitter.com/fGfVh4yEMT
– Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 10, 2025
However, their hopes of achieving a draw did not last long. Leverkusen's relentless attack continued, and Cech scored again in the 19th minute, curling the ball in with his left foot after a pass from Jeremy Frimpong.
The second half witnessed Dortmund's desire to come back strong.
Maximilian Pierre and Karim Adeyemi tested Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, but their efforts were either saved or wide.
A pivotal moment came in the 75th minute when Julian Duranville was fouled in the penalty area by Edmund Tapsoba, prompting a VAR review that resulted in a penalty kick for Dortmund.
Serho Geraci stepped up and calmly converted the penalty kick to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
The closing stages were marked by frenetic action as Dortmund threw everything forward in search of an equaliser.
Substitute Donyell Malen had a chance in the 93rd minute, and Felix Nmecha's late effort from midfield added more drama.
Tensions flared in the final moments of the match, with Nmecha receiving a yellow card for a reckless foul on Florian Wirtz in stoppage time.
Despite Dortmund's constant pressure, Leverkusen managed to hold on, and achieved a difficult victory for Xabi Alonso.
