Regional football league participants Borussia Dortmund II were rewarded on Friday evening for putting up a fight. In a top of the table clash against leaders Borussia M'Gladbach, the boys from Borussia had to play with only ten men for 80 minutes, and were 0-2 down at half time. However, they were able to celebrate a well-deserved 2-2 draw at the end of the night.

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Michael Eberwein got the first goal back.

After the early sending off of Christoph Zimmermann, BVB II were a man down for almost 80 minutes of the match and seemed to be in a hopeless situation, but goals from Michael Eberwein (52') and substitute Jonas Arweiler (79') got the Black and Yellows a draw. With that, BVB II are now undefeated in 15 games. "I am very proud of the boys and the way in which they reacted to the situation. It was unbelievable", said trainer Daniel Farke.

The dampening of Dortmund's spirits in this high-profile game occurred in just the tenth minute, even before unceasing rain began to pour on the Grenzland Stadium in Rheydt. After a long ball was pumped forward, Patrick Mainka entered into a leg-race against the swift Yeboah for the ball, whereupon he stumbled on winning it. Goalkeeper Hendrik Bonmann rushed to help him. However, his clearance landed directly at the feet Thomas Kraus, who had also charged up the pitch, and who then took aim from 11 metres out, his shot directed at one Christoph Zimmermann standing on the goal line. Referee Andreas Steffens decided without a moment's hesitation to show the Dortmund captain a straight red, and to give Gladbach a penalty kick. Stang converted to put the hosts into a 1-0 lead.

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Jonas Arweiler equalised for a 2-2 scoreline.

BVB II were shaken slightly by the decision for a short while but managed to keep the game open despite being a man down. Massih Wassey tested Christofer Heimeroth from 20 metres, but the keeper was there with both fists to deny him (26'). Seven revolutions of the second-hand later and a Wassey free-kick flew past both friend and foe from halfway out, though Heimeroth was present once more (33'). Nevertheless, what should have perhaps decided the game for the hosts then came about before the half-time whistle. First, Marco Hober had to leave the field of play injured (39'). Shortly thereafter, Yeboah channelled the forces of hell through his foot to send a breathtaking rocket of a shot into the top right corner of goal, bringing the game to 2-0 (42').

Some BVB bad boys in the away end lengthened the break by setting off flares and bangers. As the smoke cleared and referee Steffens blew the whistle once more to get proceedings back underway, the diminished BVB team fought back valiantly against a potential defeat. Eberwein had an arcing shot deflected from 25 metres out into the back of the net – 2-1, and game on (52').

Suddenly, there was hope again, and BVB II went hard after the equaliser despite their numerical disadvantage. Sören Dieckmann failed to get the ball past Heimeroth after a solo run (56'), Hamadi Al Ghaddioui passed up a chance when through on goal 11 metres out in front of the keeper (67') and Lars Dietz sent a shot over from a short distance (76').

Salvation was to come in the form of Jonas Arweiler, who had been brought on as a substitute. After 79 minutes, he was quickest to the ball after a cross from the right flank and put it cooly into the back of the net to bring about the 2-2 scoreline, the deserved reward for BVB II's impressive expenditure of energy. "We have simply got a fantastic squad", said right-back Burak Camoglu in praise of his teammates. 

BVB: Bonmann - Mainka, Zimmermann, Dietz - Karazor - Camoglu, Wassey, Hober (39' Arweiler), Eberwein (89' Fritz), Dieckmann - Al Ghaddioui
Goals: 1-0 Stang (11', penalty kick), 2-0 Yeboah (42'), 2-1 Eberwein (52'), 2-2 Arweiler (79')
Red Cards: Zimmermann (10', deliberate handling of the ball)
Tobias Jöhren