Early season runs grind to a halt as Lyon loses at Lens and Dortmund held by Bremen

Lens ended Lyon’s unbeaten start to Ligue 1 while Borussia Dortmund dropped Bundesliga points for the first time this season after Werder Bremen rescue a late dramatic 2-2 draw on Friday.

In Spain, Malaga was still without a win after drawing with visiting Espanyol 1-1.

Dortmund came into Friday’s home match on top of the Bundesliga and the only club to win all four of its games so far.

While losing Amos Pieper to injury in the first half, Dortmund struggled to find a way past Karl Hein, who was outstanding in the Bremen goal. But even he could not hold stop Dortmund forever and the home side eventually seized control with goals in the 80th and 85th minutes from Daniel Svensson and Nico Schlotterbeck.

However, Bremen scored twice in the dying minutes to rescue an unlikely point.

Ludovit Reis cut the deficit with a low drive two minutes from time and former Dortmund forward Niclas Füllkrug shocked his old side with a headed equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time.

Matthieu Udol scored and was sent off as Lens put the brakes on Lyon’s early season run in an unexpected 2-1 win.

Journeyman striker Florian Sotoca chested down a pass inside the box before swivelling and volleying home the opener for Lens 10 minutes before halftime. Udol made it 2-0 13 minutes from time with a header.

It was the second goal in two games for Udol but his joy turned to disappointment seven minutes later when he was shown a straight red card for a bad foul.

Lyon got a goal back almost immediately through Khalis Merah but Lens held on to give new coach Yannick Cahuzac his first win.

The result lifted Lens into seventh place. Lyon was second, two points behind leader Monaco.

Malaga’s poor start in La Liga continued in a 1-1 draw with Espanyol.

It could have been a lot worse for the home side, which was behind for almost the entire game.

Bryan Zaragoza put visiting Espanyol ahead after 13 minutes when he cut in from the left, beat two men and drilled in a low shot.

But substitute Adrian Nino’s volley in stoppage time gave Malaga its fourth point of the season. It remains the only club without a win and after eight games it is joint bottom of La Liga with Valencia.

Espanyol, meanwhile, climbed to 11th.

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