Borussia Dortmund were held to a 1-1 draw at Koln to damage the visitors’ slim Bundesliga title hopes.
Dortmund needed a victory to close the gap on league leaders Bayern Munich to four points, but they could not find a winner against a hard working Koln side and remain in second – six points behind the Bundesliga champions.
For Koln, a draw leaves them in seventh and four points off sixth-place Hoffenheim who are in the sole Europa Conference League spot.
Koln began the match on the front foot, but it was the visitors who took an early lead in the eighth minute.
A pinpoint pass over the Koln backline from Jude Bellingham found Marius Wolf on the run and he slotted his finish into the bottom corner.
Erling Haaland, who was back in the starting XI, came close to scoring in the 25th minute, but he dragged his low shot just past Marvin Schwabe’s right post.
Koln continued to play aggressively and The Billy Goats grabbed a deserved equaliser in the 35th minute.
A cross into the box was flicked on by Anthony Modeste at the near post for his team-mate Sebastian Andersson to slot away.
The second half was a drab affair as Dortmund struggled to break down a resolute Koln defence.
The closest Dortmund came to scoring was in the 55th minute through Haaland, but his low, driven shot from close range was well saved by Schwabe at his near post.
TALKING POINT – TITLE RACE OVER?
Bayern Munich’s six-point lead appears almost unassailable with just seven games of the Bundesliga season still to go.
An injury-stricken Dortmund side did not do enough to push for a game-winning goal and it makes April 23 – when Bayern and Dortmund go head-to-head – an even more important game for Marco Rose’s side.
MAN OF THE MATCH – JUDE BELLINGHAM
The England international was the only spark in Dortmund’s side on a night filled with mistimed tackles and sloppy passes.
His delightful ball over the top for Dortmund’s goal was the only moment of genuine quality in a scrappy match.
PLAYER RATINGS
Koln: Schwabe (7), Schmitz (6), Kilian (6), Hubers (6), Horn (6), Ozcan (5), Schaub (6), Duda (6), Uth (6), Modeste (6), Andersson (6)
Subs: Thielmann (6), Olesen (N/A), Ostrak (N/A)
Dortmund: Kobel (6), Passlack (6), Can (6), Akanji (6), Schulz (6), Bellingham (7)*, Witsel (6), Reyna (6), Wolf (6), Haaland (6), Hazard (5)
Subs: Brandt (6), Malen (N/A), Pongracic (N/A), Reinier (N/A)
KEY MOMENTS
8′ – GOAL! DORTMUND TAKE THE LEAD! Wolf comes back to haunt his former club! A delightful long ball over the top from Bellingham finds the Dortmund winger and he slots his shot into the bottom corner. Dortmund in front!
35′ – GOAL! KOLN HAVE FOUND AN EQUALISER! Modeste finds Andersson with a flicked header towards the far post and he taps in to pull Koln level! It’s no less than the hosts deserve!
55′ – GREAT SAVE FROM SCHWABE! Haaland bursts clear through on goal, but his low driven shot is straight at Schwabe!
