Niko Kovac admits Borussia Dortmund were 'lucky' as incredible three-goal comeback stuns Hoffenheim

The hosts appeared in complete control after Leon Avdullahu and Tim Lemperle fired Hoffenheim into a two-goal lead by the 54th minute. However, Die Borussen mounted an extraordinary fightback through strikes from Serhou Guirassy and Fabio Silva before a dramatic late own goal by Albian Hajdari sealed the victory. The result marked the first time Dortmund had overturned a two-goal deficit to win an away Bundesliga match since January 2022.

Saturday's spirited comeback marked a memorable milestone for Kovac in his 50th Bundesliga match in the dugout. Taking his total tally to 107 points, he surpassed Lucien Favre's previous club record of 106 for the most points accumulated across an opening half-century of league games at the helm.

Speaking after the final whistle, Kovac said: "It was a lucky win, you have to say that, especially when you win the game thanks to an own-goal. But it was a fantastic display of energy that shows what the team is capable of. It was a very intense game. We knew we had to give everything against Hoffenheim. Everyone saw the quality they possess.

"I would have preferred to see us take a 2-0 lead. We only woke up after going down 2-0. Before that, Hoffenheim played very, very well. They caused us problems and after going down 2-0, we went all out and made some good substitutions. The players who came on brought that extra something."

Victory at the PreZero Arena leaves the Black and Yellows sitting firmly second in the table with a maximum six points from two outings. That mental resilience proved pivotal in withstanding persistent waves of opposition pressure throughout the contest.

Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel added to Sky: "They did very well with their press and closing us down. They also put us under pressure time and again when they had the ball.

"We struggled to find our way into the game, to create effective combination plays, and to win second balls. To some extent, we were playing catch-up. After [our first goal], it was an open game that swung back and forth a bit, but we were the ones who managed to score. It feels great to have won here."

Dortmund must swiftly switch their focus to the continent as they host Spanish outfit Villarreal in their Champions League league-phase opener at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night. A test of domestic consistency follows when they return to Bundesliga action to take on promoted Paderborn next weekend. Kovac's top priority will be to maintain their attacking rhythm while rotating the squad during a demanding run of fixtures.