BREMEN, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck was sent off as his team held on for a 0-0 draw against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Schlotterbeck picked up his second yellow card for a clumsy tackle on Justin Njinmah in the 73rd minute as Champions League runner-up Dortmund lacked the cutting edge from its 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt last week.
Shortly before that, Schlotterbeck had a header saved, one of Dortmund’s best chances in a game lacking clear-cut opportunities to score.
Stuttgart was denied a first league win of the season in dramatic style as Maxim Leitsch’s diving header salvaged a 3-3 draw for Mainz.
Leitsch scored deep into stoppage time when Stuttgart was on the verge of winning, having taken a 3-2 lead when Fabian Rieder’s 88th-minute free kick bounced off the post, off goalkeeper Robin Zentner’s back and in. Stuttgart had led 2-0 before an earlier Mainz comeback.
Stuttgart, which finished a surprise second in the Bundesliga last season, has a tendency to give up leads this season. Stuttgart led Freiburg in its league opener last week but lost 3-1, and the team conceded a late goal before losing to Bayer Leverkusen on penalties in the German Super Cup.
Promoted Holstein Kiel’s coach Marcel Rapp was sent off as his team’s first-ever home game in the Bundesliga ended in a 2-0 loss to Wolfsburg. New signing Tim Kleindienst scored one goal and set up another as Borussia Moenchengladbach won 2-0 at Bochum. Frankfurt beat Hoffenheim 3-1.
Champion Leverkusen hosts Leipzig later Saturday.
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