Dortmund Refuse to Die in Wild Frankfurt Thriller
Late drama opens Bundesliga 2026
The first Bundesliga match of 2026 delivered instant chaos as Borussia Dortmund snatched a dramatic 3-3 draw away at Eintracht Frankfurt, with Carney Chukwuemeka scoring a stunning 96th-minute equaliser to extend BVB’s unbeaten league run to eight matches.
Dortmund struck early and looked set to punish a Frankfurt side that had struggled against top-eight opposition before the winter break. After 10 minutes, Julian Ryerson surged down the right and fired in a low cross that Maximilian Beier poked home at the near post to give the visitors the lead.
Frankfurt respond with confidence
The hosts recovered quickly and began to test Gregor Kobel through Can Uzun and Ansgar Knauff. Their pressure paid off midway through the first half when Serhou Guirassy bundled over Robin Koch in the area. Uzun stepped up and calmly sent Kobel the wrong way, scoring his first Bundesliga goal since September to level the match.
Momentum swung again as Dortmund finished the half strongly. Kaua Santos was forced into smart saves from Julian Brandt and Nico Schlotterbeck, but Brandt blazed over late on and the visitors went into the break frustrated at not leading.
Goals, mistakes and chaos after the break
Dortmund’s second-half defensive issues resurfaced as Frankfurt pushed forward, but chances went begging at both ends. A turning point arrived when Arthur Theate’s poor clearance gifted Felix Nmecha space outside the box. His strike deflected heavily off Hugo Larsson and looped beyond Santos to restore Dortmund’s lead.
That advantage lasted just three minutes. A simple through ball from Arnaud Kalimuendo exposed the Dortmund defence, allowing Younes Ebnoutalib to race clear and slot past Kobel to make it 2-2.
The drama intensified late on. Schlotterbeck hit the bar from a corner before Frankfurt thought they had won it in stoppage time when former Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud smashed home through a crowded box.
Chukwuemeka saves the night
Just when defeat seemed certain, Dortmund struck one final time. Marcel Sabitzer’s hopeful cross was controlled superbly by Chukwuemeka, who kept his composure to steer the ball past Santos in the 96th minute.
It was a breathless finish to a chaotic night in Frankfurt and a reminder that Dortmund, even when flawed, remain impossible to finish off.
