Borussia Dortmund set a new record by reaching 25 home Bundesliga games unbeaten, but ultimately failed to leapfrog the capital club as a heated Friday night match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Positives
The Black and Yellows played on Friday night, which means they will have an extra day to prepare for Tuesday's away Champions League tie against Sporting Lisbon.
Negatives
With Dortmund dropping points for the third time in seven league matches, the Bundesliga might not get to see a title race for another year. BVB missed a penalty and won't be satisfied with the result. With Marcel Schmelzer limping off injured, the injury list might get even longer heading into a crucial European night on Tuesday.
Manager rating out of 10
5 -- Given the shortage of options, Thomas Tuchel fielded a team that was good enough to claim all three points, but he cannot finish the chances himself.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Roman Bürki, 5 -- The Swiss goalkeeper was without a chance when Valentin Stocker appeared in front of him in the 51st minute and put the guests 1-0 up. He did deny Alexander Esswein with a well-timed save 10 minutes later.
DF Felix Passlack, 7 -- The 18-year-old right-back turned in a more than solid performance. Another BVB youth graduate that is mature beyond his years.
DF Mikel Merino, 6 -- It took a while for Mikel Merino to make the step up from Spain's second division to the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old made his debut, as his fellow Spaniard Marc Bartra wasn't good enough to go for the full distance. It was Merino, who had the most touches (149) in the match, but some of those went horribly astray. He wasn't the first to be overwhelmed in his first appearance at the Westfalenstadion, but he gained some self-assurance throughout the game. He lost goalscorer Valentin Stocker out of his sight on Hertha's goal, but that should take nothing away from Vedad Ibisevic's back-heel which was the play of the night.
DF Matthias Ginter, 7 -- With Sokratis Papastathopoulos injured and the young and inexperienced Passlack and Merino by his side, Ginter had to step up to become the leader of Dortmund's back line and he did just that.
DF Marcel Schmelzer, 6 -- The left-back was the first Dortmund player to steer a shot on Rune Jarstein's goal. The captain had to be substituted after 70 minutes due to a groin injury, joining BVB's prominent sickbay.
MF Julian Weigl, 8 -- As always, Dortmund's midfield hub.
MF Christian Pulisic, 6 -- Seven minutes into the match the fans on the main stand first got up from their seats as Pulisic drove the ball past four Hertha players at exhilarating pace. The pass to round off his move didn't come off at that instance. The United States international couldn't quite replicate his trickery from the first half in the second half.
MF Sebastian Rode, 4 -- The less is said about Sebastian Rode the better. He may be a good ball winner, but in central midfield he has to create much more danger than he did.
MF Mario Götze, 5 -- The German international, who is yet to go the full distance in a Dortmund shirt since his return, had some perfectly weighed first touches revealing his sheer class. But a more casual observer would have hardly noticed Gotze in the game.
MF Emre Mor, 6 -- Until the 85 minute, Emre Mor was one of the liveliest in Dortmund's attack. But the young Turkish international lost his temper and rightfully was sent off by referee Patrick Ittrich after shoving Sebastian Langkamp to the ground. Langkamp admitted after the match on Sky that his overzealous acting made the most out of the situation. Nevertheless, Mor still has a lot to learn.
FW Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 5 -- The Gabonese striker will be the most disappointed after the match. Although scoring the equaliser in the 80th minute, he could have won the game by himself. He missed while alone in front of Rune Jarstein in the 67th minute, and squandered BVB's penalty in the 77th minute, earning Jarstein top marks.
Substitutes
MF Ousmane Dembele, 8 -- After replacing Gotze in the 60th minute Dembele was the driving force in Dortmund's midfield. He should have picked up two assists, bringing Aubameyang into play.
MF Shinji Kagawa, 7 -- The Japanese midfielder won Dortmund a penalty, shooting the ball on Genki Haraguchi's hand. Like Dembele he was a reinvigorating factor.
MF Joo-ho Park, N/R -- As he replaced Schmelzer in the 71st minute, Nuri Sahin is the only senior outfield player for Borussia Dortmund that is yet appear on the pitch. Park certainly enjoyed himself.