Borussia Dortmund has missed a big step in the Bundesliga title race despite being outnumbered for a long time. The runners-up in the table had to settle for a 3-3 (2-0) draw in a turbulent game with two goals in injury time at relegation-threatened VfB Stuttgart on Saturday despite leading twice and being sent off against the Swabians.

Ahead of the remaining six matchdays, BVB are still two points behind leaders FC Bayern Munich. VfB remained unbeaten in their third competitive game under new coach Sebastian Hoeneß and are in 16th place in the relegation play-offs.

Attacking forces Sébastien Haller (26th minute) and Donyell Malen (33rd) scored in front of 47,900 spectators for BVB, who were very efficient in the first half. Tanguy Coulibaly (78') and Josha Vagnoman (84') gave the valiantly fighting Stuttgart, where defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was shown a yellow and red card (39'), the equaliser. Substitute Giovanni Reyna (90+3) gave Dortmund the lead again, but Silas struck back for VfB in the seventh minute of injury time.

Hummels clarifies somewhat unconventionally

After a disjointed opening phase and a good first Stuttgart chance through Vagnoman (5th), BVB took control, but were rarely dangerous themselves at first. It was only in the tenth minute that VfB keeper Fabian Bredlow had to parry first against Haller and then against Julian Brandt. Meanwhile, the Dortmund defence, in which Emre Can stood in for the ailing Niklas Süle, had something to do from time to time. At one point, Mats Hummels cleared his own goal in a somewhat unconventional way.

Then the Black and Yellows struck twice within seven minutes. Haller was quicker in thinking than former Dortmund player Dan-Axel Zagadou, who played for Hiroki Ito, who was absent due to illness at VfB. The Ivorian international slammed the ball into the bottom of the crossbar from close range, from where it bounced into the goal.

A short time later, the hosts were unable to clear a Dortmund corner – Malen pulled off from around 15 metres and increased the lead to 2-0. The Dutchman scored in his fourth league game in a row.

Between the two Dortmund goals, Serhou Guirassy missed a great chance to equalise (30') and Mavropanos saw a yellow card that was to have consequences. Just four minutes after his foul on Karim Adeyemi, the Greek also got the lively Malen off his feet - and rightly flew off the pitch. At the break, the Borussians were fully on course for victory.

Dortmund's defensive boss Hummels remained in the dressing room and was replaced by Soumaila Coulibaly. Midfield ace Jude Bellingham shortly after the restart (50') and substitute BVB captain Marco Reus (78') hit the crossbar.

However, VfB remained courageous even when outnumbered – and rewarded themselves. Guirassy's supposed goal (52nd) was disallowed for offside after the video assistant intervened, but the goal of substitute Stuttgart Coulibaly then counted. Can had deflected the Frenchman's shot untenably for Dortmund's goalkeeper Kobel. The game slipped away from the guests. Joker Reyna provided the supposed Dortmund redemption in injury time, then Silas scored on the other side.