Ozil's late free-kick saves Real Madrid's home comforts

GROUP D: Real Madrid 2 Borussia Dortmund 2:Mesut Ozil struck an 89th-minute free-kick to salvage a 2-2 draw for Real Madrid at home to Borussia Dortmund and boost his sides chances of reaching the Champions League knockout round as Group D winners last night.

Midfielder Ozil curled a left-foot effort into the net off a post to put Real level for the second time in an entertaining clash at the Bernabeu and deny Dortmund the win that would have put them in pole position to top the group.

Marco Reus volleyed the German champions in front in the 28th minute before Pepe equalised with a header six minutes later and Real’s Alvaro Arbeloa poked the ball into his own net on the stroke of half-time.

Real enjoyed lots of possession but created few genuine chances and Dortmund’s tactic of playing on the break almost earned them another victory after they beat Jose Mourinho’s expensively assembled side 2-1 in Germany last month.

The draw leaves Dortmund top on eight points after four of their six group matches, with Real second on seven ahead of Ajax Amsterdam (four) and Manchester City (two) following their 2-2 draw in the other match in the section.

“We played well in the second half,” Pepe said in an interview with Spanish television.

“They have a great team and everything is still open so we have to keep working,” added the Portuguese, whose goal was just his third in Europe’s elite club competition.

It was who Reus broke the deadlock. Robert Lewandowski nodded a long ball into the midfielder’s path and he crashed a shot past Iker Casillas on the bounce.

Real levelled when Pepe powered a header into the net from Ozils cross but Dortmund were back in front moments before half-time when Lewandowski won another header to release Grosskreutz and he flicked the ball on for Mario Goetze and Arbeloa poked the ball into his own net.

But it was Ozil, who plays with many of the Dortmund side for Germany, who salvaged a point.

REAL MADRID:Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Pepe, Arbeloa (Kaka 78), Alonso, Modric (Essien 46), Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo, Higuain (Callejon 46). Subs not used: Adan, Carvalho, Albiol, Nacho. BORUSSIA DORTMUND:Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer, Gundogan (Perisic 81), Kehl, Reus (Bender 74), Gotze (Leitner 90), Grosskreutz, Lewandowski. Subs not used: Langerak, Schieber, Lowe, Felipe Santana. Booked: Grosskreutz, Hummels. Attendance: 65,000 Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).