Dortmund held 1-1 at Gladbach in Bundesliga

With a 1-1 tie, Borussia Dortmund now sits a full 17 points behind Bayern Munich in second place.

Imago/ZumaPress.com

BERLIN (AP)? -Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen conceded more ground in the Bundesliga title race after both were held to draws on Sunday.

Defending champion Dortmund was held 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Leverkusen failed to take advantage in a 0-0 draw at bottom side Greuther Fuerth in the late game.

Mario Goetze put Dortmund 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.

"There are worse things than drawing in Gladbach,'' Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp said. "Not that we're happy about it.''

Goetze earned the penalty when he was brought down by Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the area.

"It was my 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.''

Dortmund was left 17 points behind runaway leader Bayern Munich. The sides meet in an eagerly anticipated German Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday. Leverkusen remained one point behind Dortmund.

"We just didn't move well today,'' Dortmund forward Marco Reus said after his first return to Moenchengladbach since switching between the sides. "I don't know why. It was very untypical of us.''

Fuerth, which sacked Mike Bueskens as coach on Wednesday, had goalkeeper Wolfgang Hesl to thank for a string of saves in Ludwig Preis' first game in charge as interim coach.

"We're not giving up under any circumstances,'' Preis said. "That was an indication that we're still alive.''

Mergim Mavraj almost scored for Fuerth in the 30th, only for Gonzalo Castro to clear his header off the line.

Hesl denied Stefan Kiessling before break, and then again from the rebound, before Andre Schuerrle's follow-up effort was cleared off the line.

The Fuerth goalkeeper was the busiest player in the second half, but the home side held on for a valuable point.

"We've declared ourselves back (in the relegation fight),'' said Fuerth president Helmut Hack. "Most people had written us off already.''