Berlin, Jan 10 (NationPress) The former champions, Borussia Dortmund, managed to pull off a thrilling 3-3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in a captivating Bundesliga match that heralded the league's return from the winter hiatus, featuring an exhilarating display of six goals on Friday night.

Dortmund kicked off with great intensity, taking the lead within 10 minutes as Maximilian Beier finished expertly from Julian Ryerson's low cross, set up by a precise diagonal ball from Nico Schlotterbeck. As the match progressed, Frankfurt found their rhythm and equalized in the 22nd minute when Can Uzun calmly scored a penalty after Serhou Guirassy fouled Robin Koch inside the box.

The action remained high-paced despite challenging conditions, with opportunities at both ends before halftime. Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kaua Santos thwarted Schlotterbeck's header, while Dortmund threatened with quick plays but could not regain the lead before the break, according to reports from Xinhua.

After the break, Frankfurt came out strong, with debutant Younes Ebnoutalib narrowly missing with a header early in the second half. Dortmund managed to withstand the pressure and regained the lead in the 68th minute through a long-range shot from Felix Nmecha, which was slightly deflected by Hugo Larsson and hit the inside of the post.

Frankfurt responded immediately. Substitute Arnaud Kalimuendo delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Ebnoutalib, who kept his cool to equalize just three minutes later. As the match neared its end, Dortmund almost took the lead again when Schlotterbeck hit the crossbar.

In a dramatic finish during stoppage time, former Dortmund player Mahmoud Dahoud seemed to secure victory for Frankfurt with a composed finish from the edge of the area in the 92nd minute. However, Dortmund snatched a point in the dying seconds as substitute Carney Chukwuemeka reacted quickest to a cross from Marcel Sabitzer to equalize in the 96th minute.

"It is positive that we did not lose, but when you create so many chances and control large parts of the game, it is not enough," stated Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha.

Frankfurt's coach Dino Toppmoeller remarked, "Of course, it hurts when you take the lead so late and then concede the equalizer; that is frustrating. However, we must not forget we played against Dortmund, a team with a lot of quality and strength."

The result keeps Dortmund in second place after the 16th round's kickoff, trailing eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who will play on Sunday. Frankfurt missed the opportunity to break into the top four and remains in seventh place.