Dortmund battles back from 2-0 down against Hoffenheim before hosting Villarreal

Borussia Dortmund rescued a Bundesliga win that looked lost for over an hour, overturning a 2-0 deficit to beat Hoffenheim 3-2 with an 88th-minute own goal. The hard-fought victory keeps Nico Kovac's team perfect in the league and arrives just days before they open their Champions League campaign at home to Villarreal.

• Dortmund trailed 2-0 after a poor opening hour but struck three times late to win 3-2.
• Serhou Guirassy started the comeback and substitute Fabio Silva scored the equalizer.
• The decisive goal came in the 88th minute through an Albian Hajdari own goal.
• Gregor Kobel kept Dortmund in the match during a difficult first period.
• Villarreal visit Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday for the first Champions League matchday.

Kobel and Hoffenheim punish a sluggish Dortmund for an hour

The visitors were a shadow of their usual selves for well over sixty minutes. Hoffenheim controlled the contest, created chances, and took the lead through Leon Avdullahu, whose curling right-footed strike found the far corner with precision. By that point, Dortmund had already survived several dangerous moments with the score still level.

Gregor Kobel was the main reason the damage was not worse. The Swiss goalkeeper produced a string of fine saves to keep Dortmund alive during a phase in which the team lacked rhythm and ideas. The defensive task became even harder when center-back Filippo Mané was forced off injured in the middle of Hoffenheim's sustained pressure.

From 2-0 down to a wild late comeback

Tim Lemperle doubled Hoffenheim's advantage early in the second half, and at that stage the match appeared over. But Dortmund responded out of nowhere. Serhou Guirassy pulled one back with a subtle finish inside the box, and the entire mood shifted. Within minutes, a team that had been totally outplayed suddenly believed in the win.

Kovac's substitutions changed everything. Fabio Silva came on in the 62nd minute and, with his first chance just four minutes later, slotted a shot across the keeper to make it 2-2. Hoffenheim, so dominant for long stretches, lost their composure, and Dortmund smelled an opportunity. The comeback was sealed late when Albian Hajdari turned the ball into his own net in the 88th minute.

A win with warning signs ahead of the title race and Champions League

The result is far more valuable than the performance. Dortmund know that in a title race against a Bayern Munich side that rarely slips up, every dropped point matters. Starting the Bundesliga season with two wins was almost an obligation and the team delivered, but the doubts about their overall play remain.

The schedule offers no breathing room. Villarreal arrive at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday to open the new Champions League league phase, and Dortmund are determined to compete with Europe's elite. The comeback against Hoffenheim provides a confidence boost, though the display also highlighted areas that must improve before tougher tests arrive.

Guirassy and Fabio Silva provide the spark Dortmund desperately needed

Nico Kovac's in-game management proved decisive. Guirassy again displayed his goalscoring instincts with a classy finish in the area, while Fabio Silva needed only a few minutes on the pitch to deliver the equalizer. Both players transformed an attack that had barely threatened for the first hour.

Borussia Dortmund have enough resources to go from nothing to everything in an instant.

Hoffenheim deserved more for much of the match but paid a heavy price for failing to kill the game off. Hajdari's own goal sealed a defeat that felt as cruel as it was avoidable, leaving Dortmund with a victory that had looked highly unlikely midway through the second half.

What is at stake for Dortmund against Villarreal on matchday one

The European opener against Villarreal carries extra weight under the new Champions League format. Every point matters in the race to advance, and starting with a home win is crucial for building momentum. Dortmund, who are used to creating memorable European nights at their stadium, will look to make home advantage count against a Spanish side that has proven tough to beat in continental competition.

The Hoffenheim comeback should serve as a reminder of the team's attacking potential, but also as a warning: another hour as disjointed as Saturday's will not go unpunished. Kovac must tighten the defense and find greater consistency before Villarreal come to town.