Schalke denies Dortmund in pulsating derby
Schalke twice pegged back Borussia Dortmund to earn a 2-2 draw in a pulsating Revierderby that dented the visitors title hopes but left both sides unbeaten in the Bundesliga in 2023.
Kenan Karaman netted a late equaliser as the hosts trailed with 12 minutes to go, earning his side a point in the battle against relegation while at the same time denying Dortmund a vital three points to keep pace with Bayern Munich at the top of the table.
A capacity crowd at VELTINS-Arena saw Dortmund take control for much of the opening period and Ralf Fahrmann needed to be at his very best between the sticks to keep Schalke afloat in the face of a relentless attack.
But he could do nothing when Nico Schlotterbeck decided to try his luck from distance in the 38th minute, firing home a surprise opener from outside the box.
It was all Dortmund heading into the break, but Schalke clearly learned something in the dressing room, pressing Dortmund more successfully as the second half got underway and earning full reward for that five minutes after the restart.
Jude Bellingham was caught in possession just inside the Royal Blues' half, and Michael Frey was set free on the right wing in his first Revierderby, charging forwrd before playing a pinpoint ball across the face of goal for Marius Bulter to tap-in at the far post in the 50th minute.
The goal stunned Dortmund somewhat and it took time to shake off that blow, but Raphael Guerreiro found a worthy counter-punch 10 minutes later with a bullet of a shot into the top corner to put the visitors back in front and back in control on the hour.
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens should have made it 3-1 when he found himself clean through on goal minutes later, but he steered his shot agonisingly wide of Fahrmann's left-hand post.
That miss would prove costly as Schalke clawed its way back again, Karaman climbing highest to nod home a brilliant header past Alexander Meyer in the Dortmund goal on 78 minutes.
Meyer, though, made sure it didn't get any worse for the visitors when he superbly parried a close-range effort hit with real venom by Eder Balanta, leaving both sides to settle for a point that means very different things to both parties.
