Deniz Undav scored a goal in the last minute of stoppage-time to rescue VfB Stuttgart a point in a breathless 3-3 Bundesliga draw with promoted Heidenheim on Easter Sunday.
"I want to give my young team credit for the brilliant way we came back again at the end. The point is very important for our morale and position in the table. We’ll take it and learn from the game," Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß said.
Stuttgart took a 2-0 lead with goals from top scorer Serhou Guirassy in the 41st minute and Angelo Stiller, who scored his first goal for the club in the 53rd.
But a terrible mistake from Alexander Nübel allowed Heidenheim back into the game as the goalkeeper scooped Tim Kleindiesnt's header from a corner into the net. Kleindiesnt went on to complete a brace with goals in the 84th and 85th.
The guests were heading towards a sensational win, but substitute Nikola Dovedan was sent off in the sixth minute of added time before the MHPArena erupted when a long pass into the area found Undav, who fired the ball into the net to settle the final scoring.
Nübel admitted after the match that his mistake had a big impact and that it was "of course very painful."
"It was a header, and I intercept the ball as I do 99% of the time, but it somehow slipped through to me. If that hadn't happened, I think it would be difficult for Heidenheim to come back," the goalkeeper explained.
Stuttgart were aiming to close the gap to second-placed Bayern Munich to a point, but will end the weekend three points behind the German record champions, who were defeated 2-0 by Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Leaders Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, top the standings with a 13-point advantage after a late 2-1 win over Hoffenheim.
Earlier, Augsburg and Cologne took one point each after playing out a 1-1 draw.
Augsburg scored the opener in the 18th minute after the ball fell at the feet of Arne Maier following a succession of single-touch passes. He then delivered a deadly finish into the net.
But Cologne didn't take long to react and Davie Selke completed a quick counter-attack in the 33rd to level.
Augsburg were again on target in the 67th, but Felix Uduokhai's goal was ruled out due to a foul in the play.
Augsburg remained seventh and close to the qualification zone for the Conference League, while Cologne still sit second-last and in the relegation zone.
Elsewhere, Bochum also gave up a 2-0 lead and conceded a draw to Darmstadt. Philipp Hofmann scored a brace before Tim Skarke and Oscar Vilhelmsson snatched a point for Darmstadt.
