'It was a misunderstanding' - Jobe Bellingham defended over red card mistake as Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper accepts blame for costly moment in Freiburg draw

Dortmund's hopes of keeping pace at the top of the Bundesliga table suffered a setback on Sunday evening as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Freiburg. While a point away at the Europa-Park Stadion is rarely a disastrous result in isolation, the manner of the draw left a bitter taste for the visitors, who appeared to be heading towards victory before a moment of madness changed the complexion of the game.

The turning point arrived early in the second-half. With Dortmund controlling possession and tempo, goalkeeper Kobel attempted a pass out from the back to his teammate Bellingham. The ball, however, was under-hit and played into a dangerous area, putting the Englishman under immediate pressure from the Freiburg press. In the ensuing panic to recover possession, a professional foul was committed, leaving the referee with no choice but to brandish a red card.

Speaking to DAZN after the final whistle, the Swiss shot-stopper refused to hide from his responsibility. He acknowledged that his decision-making was the catalyst for the team's subsequent struggles.

"If the red card doesn't happen, the game looks different," Kobel admitted. "We allowed little until then, had the game under control and were very dominant.

"It was certainly a misunderstanding [regarding the situation that led to the red card]. I initially had the feeling that he had a lot of space. In the end, I have to play a better pass so that he doesn't commit this foul. I take that on myself. We were under a lot of pressure after that."

The contrast between the two periods could not have been starker. In the first 45 minutes, Dortmund looked every bit the title contenders, moving the ball with precision and stifling Freiburg's attacking threats. They had taken a deserved lead and looked set to double their advantage. However, the red card forced a reshuffle from manager Niko Kovac. Dortmund spent much of the remainder of the second half absorbing relentless pressure from the hosts. The resistance was eventually broken by a moment of individual brilliance from Lucas Holer, who unleashed a wonder goal to level the scores in the 75th minute.

"Holer shoots an amazing goal," Kobel noted, reflecting on the equaliser that cost them the win. "As the game went, one has to be satisfied with the 1-1."

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For manager Niko Kovac, the result was a case of two points dropped, but he remained pragmatic about the circumstances. The Croatian tactician, who has been tasked with adding steel to this Dortmund side, praised the character shown by his players to hold on for a point despite the numerical disadvantage, even if he was frustrated by the self-inflicted nature of the struggle.

Kovac refused to publicly hang his goalkeeper out to dry, viewing the error as an unfortunate part of the modern game where goalkeepers are expected to take risks in the build-up. However, he was clear that the decision-making in that specific moment was the sole reason they failed to leave the Black Forest with all three points.

"We played a complete half with ten men," Kovac told DAZN. "You have to live with a 1-1 in Freiburg – that is a good team. Of course, we are dissatisfied with the result. But if you look at how it came about, I have to and can live with it.

"We made life difficult for ourselves through that action. That is football: Whoever makes decisions also makes mistakes. This one cost us the game. We controlled it in the first half, were very serious, allowed nothing great. If you are one man down, it is difficult to play football."

The draw leaves Borussia Dortmund needing to make up ground in the Bundesliga title race. With the winter break fast approaching, the margin for error is becoming increasingly slim. Kovac's side have shown flashes of brilliance this season, particularly in their defensive organisation during the first half in Freiburg, but individual errors continue to punctuate their campaign.

The ability to control matches "seriously," as Kovac put it, has been a hallmark of their improvement, yet the fragility shown in moments of high pressure remains a concern. The point keeps them in the hunt for the Champions League places, but with their rivals picking up wins, the gap to the summit is in danger of widening.

Dortmund will not have long to lick their wounds. The festive fixture list provides an immediate opportunity to bounce back, with a crucial home game against Borussia Monchengladbach coming up on Friday before the league pauses for the winter interval. Kobel will be eager to make amends for his error in front of the Yellow Wall, while Kovac will be demanding a return to the 11-man dominance they displayed for the opening period in Freiburg.