Dortmund searching for answers after late collapse to Bremen – Sports

BERLIN (dpa) – Borussia Dortmund had hoped that late slumps and questions about the mentality of the team would be a thing of the past.

Coach Edin Terzi? was the first at the club to score nine straight Bundesliga victories in his first tenure. His team started this season with victories over Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg, although they didn’t play particularly well.

Then came the shock on Saturday when Dortmund set an unwanted Bundesliga record.

Never before in the league had a side conceded three goals after the 88th minute, as Dortmund did when they squandered a two-goal advantage and lost 3-2 at home to newly promoted Werder Bremen.

“You also have to say that we were a bit lucky in the first two games. Today we were punished for that,” said Dortmund captain Marco Reus.

Suddenly all the old questions are being asked again. Dortmund’s title challenge is being eroded by doubt and uncertainty, and Bayern Munich look even more certain of claiming their 11th consecutive league title, extending the record.

It only lasted three rounds.

Despite finishing second last season, Dortmund parted ways with Terzi’s predecessor Marco Rose after a volatile season marked by home and away defeats by Bayern Munich and Leipzig, as well as other disappointing defeats.

Dortmund finished eight points behind Bayern, despite their rival dropping points in 10 games. Dortmund left the Champions League in the group stage and the DFB-Pokal in the third round.

Terzi?, who helped Dortmund win the German Cup as caretaker coach last season, has been brought back for this season with the task of fighting for trophies again.

But despite summer reinforcements in attack and defense, Dortmund has not been able to convince so far. Julian Brandt and Raphaël Guerreiro’s goals against Bremen were the team’s first and second shots on goal – in added time in the first half and in the 77th minute. Bremen dominated the game.

“It was a very poor performance from us. We didn’t manage to control the game and we allowed a lot of chances, both in the first half when we took the lead with the last action, and in the second when we wanted to do much better,” Terzi ? said. “Nevertheless, if you win 2-0, you have to win the game by the 88th minute, even if it’s not a good game. And how we conceded the goals was really stupid. So annoying.”

Dortmund cannot afford to lose points if they want to take on Bayern this season – the Bavarian powerhouse defeated Bochum 7-0 again on Sunday and made their best-ever start to the league with a goal difference of plus 14 laid down from his three games.

Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl hasn’t given up hope yet.

“We won’t give up after the third round,” said Kehl before the Bayern demonstration on Sunday. “Otherwise we could close the whole shop. We want to make the Bundesliga exciting for everyone.”

Dortmund next travel to Hertha Berlin, a team who have only managed one point so far despite encouraging performances against Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Kehl said the team will try to learn from the Bremen shock.

“We will try to find reasons for this, but we will also look ahead,” said Kehl. “Everyone has bigger expectations and now they have to fulfill them.”

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