Dynamo Dresden only draw in Essen

Third division leaders Dynamo Dresden only partially took advantage of the slip-up by runners-up Saarbrücken. On matchday 29, coach Thomas Stamm's team were held to a 1:1 (0:0) draw in an attractive game at Rot-Weiss Essen. The team from the Elbe city now has a three-point lead over Saarbrücken. Energie Cottbus could move to within one point of Dresden with a win at SV Sandhausen on Sunday.

Former Dresden player Ahmet Arslan put the hosts ahead in the 50th minute in front of 17,500 spectators at the Hafenstrasse stadium. Dynamo equalized a quarter of an hour later through Lukas Boeder.

Dynamo with first chance

The hosts started more eagerly, but Dresden's Robin Meißner had the best chance up to that point with a shot from 25 metres after a quarter of an hour. In a tightly contested match, Essen had top-class opportunities in first-half stoppage time through Julian Eitschberger and Arslan, which Dresden goalkeeper Tim Schreiber thwarted with two brilliant saves.

Ex-Dresden player Arslan misses second goal for Essen

Arslan did better five minutes after the restart. After a one-two with Dominik Martinovic, the 30-year-old gave goalkeeper Schreiber no chance from the edge of the box. Five minutes later, Arslan even had the chance to make it 2-0 with an indirect free-kick from eight meters out, but failed to clear the wall.

A quarter of an hour later, Boeder proved all the more assured when he equalized with his first goal of the season. After substitute Dominik Kother won the ball in the penalty area, the midfielder finished in center-forward style to equalize. Dresden pressed for the winning goal in the following period, but had to settle for their second draw in a row after the 1-0 win in Aachen and the 0-0 draw against Borussia Dortmund II.