Dortmund held 1-1 at Gladbach in Bundesliga

BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund conceded more ground in the Bundesliga title race after being held to a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.
Mario Goetze put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season in the 31st minute. Amin Younes, who had Moenchengladbach’s first effort on goal in the 56th, equalized with a deflected shot in the 67th after Dortmund had failed to clear the ball.
Goetze earned the penalty when he was brought down by Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the area.
“It was mistake,” the goalkeeper said. “He put the ball past me and then accepted the present. I’ll work on my positioning.” Playing without club top scorers Juan Arango and Patrick Herrmann through injury and suspension, respectively, Moenchengladbach failed to have a shot on goal in the first half. But the 19-year-old Younes then netted his first Bundesliga goal to earn the point.
“I’ll go home and celebrate with my family,” Younes said.
Both sides had chances to win it late on. Moenchengladbach substitute Peniel Mlapa hit the side-netting from a difficult angle in the last minute. Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl then missed with the goal at his mercy in injury time.
“We had the game in our grip, didn’t allow any goal chances,” Kehl said. “There’s no way should have allowed this game end in a draw. In the end I could have decided it, that’s bitter.” Defending champion Dortmund was left 17 points behind runaway leader Bayern Munich. The sides meet in an eagerly anticipated German Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday.