Frankfurt share spoils with Dortmund in thrilling Bundesliga draw

Frankfurt, Jan. 11: Second-placed Borussia Dortmund twice surrendered a lead and looked like losing to a stoppage-time winner but it came back to score in the last minute and draw at Eintracht Frankfurt 3-3 in a thrilling Bundesliga clash.

The first league match of 2026 was a riveting advert for German football but both sides will rue their ability to hold a lead.

The draw left Dortmund in second place, eight points behind leader Bayern Munich and four above Bayer Leverkusen and Leipzig. All three have a game in hand.

Frankfurt missed a chance to move into fifth and remained in seventh spot, equal on points with Stuttgart.

The game started encouragingly for the visitor with Maximilian Beier side-footing home Julian Ryerson's inviting cross from the right flank after 10 minutes.

But on a chilly night at Deutsche Bank Park, the home fans were warmed by their team's reaction. Can Uzun equalized from the penalty spot after Serhou Guirassy was adjudged to have fouled Robin Koch.

Dortmund took the lead again midway through the second half when Felix Nmecha's deflected shot trundled in off the far post.

And Frankfurt came back three minutes later. Arnaud Kalimuendo's defense-splitting pass sent Younes Ebnoutalib through on goal and he kept his cool to hammer the ball past Gregor Kobel.

Frankfurt took the lead for the first time in the second minute of injury time when Mahmoud Dahoud scooped in a shot but four minutes Carney Chukwuemeka bundled home a loose ball with almost the last kick of the game.

Meanwhile, Brais Mendez scored a goal-of-the-season contender as Real Sociedad won at Getafe 2-1 and gave American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo his first win in charge of the Basque club.

The ball fell kindly for the big midfielder right on the 18-yard line and he struck the sweetest of volleys past a despairing goalkeeper late in the first half.

Juanmi equalized for Getafe in the 90th minute but defender Jon Aramburu gave Sociedad the win when he headed home a corner kick six minutes into stoppage time

The result was a welcome victory for new boss Matarazzo. He replaced Sergio Francisco just before Christmas following Sociedad's poorest start to a La Liga in a decade.

He led his new charges to a creditable 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in his opener and was fortunate that slack goalkeeping at the late corner contributed to his side's winner in Getafe.

The result lifted Sociedad into the top half of La Liga, equal on points with Getafe but ahead of it on goal difference.

It was the fifth loss in six games for the Madrid club, which halted a four-game losing streak with a last-minute equalizer last week at Rayo Vallecano.

Venezuelan Aramburu dedicated his goal to his compatriots and stressed Matarazzo's message was that they need points any which way.

"The boss told us this wouldn't be the prettiest of games but that we just had to go out and win," Aramburu said.

Likewise, the big guns entered the FA Cup on Friday and one of them was shot down immediately.

Championship club Wrexham knocked out Premier League side Nottingham Forest 4-3 on penalties after a thrilling match ended 3-3 after 90 minutes and extra time.

Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo was the hero, saving twice to take his side into the fourth round.

The Welsh side co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney was 2-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Liberato Cacace and Ollie Rathbone.

Igor Jesus pulled one back with a header after 64 minutes only for Dominic Hyam to restore Wrexham's two-goal lead with a diving header 10 minutes later.

Forest substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi scored in the 76th and 89th minutes to force the game into extra time but when neither side could get a winner it went to penalties.

James MacLean missed for Wrexham but Okonkwo saved from Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson to send the home fans into raptures.

"The manager spoke to us before the game, told us about the history of the club and how we're able to beat teams who are way above us," a jubilant Okonkwo said. "It was amazing to win the game in the end. We just have to enjoy the moment."

The FA Cup kicked off in August with 446 clubs dreaming of a place in the famous final at Wembley Stadium but teams from the top two tiers enter only at this third round.

Friday's win was another memorable chapter in the rise of the Welsh club that was bought in 2021 by Hollywood pair Reynolds and McElhenney.

The stars have overseen Wrexham's rapid ascent and watched three consecutive promotions. It sits ninth in the Championship and Friday's win was its fifth in a row in all competitions. AP