Dortmund stumble at Hertha with Aubameyang left out again

Third-placed Borussia Dortmund were held 1-1 at Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Friday for their second draw in a row without leading striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon international, with 13 league goals this season, was suspended for last week's 0-0 draw with VfL Wolfsburg after failing to show up for a team meeting the day before. Dortmund coach Peter Stoeger on Thursday indicated the 28-year-old would be in the squad but the forward was surprisingly left out with club officials saying he was not focused enough.

? @Sanchooo10, ladies and gentlemen! #bscbvb 1-1 pic.twitter.com/6QPBMnEYVd

— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) January 19, 2018

Aubameyang, last season's Bundesliga top scorer, has been linked with a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window. His absence was again clearly evident as Dortmund had few chances in a subdued first half before Davie Selke put Hertha ahead seconds after the restart. Dortmund levelled by taking advantage of a defensive error when Shinji Kagawa headed in at the far post in the 71st.

Borussia Dortmund needed teenage sensation Jadon Sancho to salvage a draw in Berlin. Player ratings: https://t.co/CSOaUNaz20 pic.twitter.com/5XICgfkC2M

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 20, 2018

The visitors could have snatched a late winner but Sancho curled his shot wide and Alexander Isak fired against the bar. Dortmund have 30 points and trail Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich who have 44 before they host Werder Bremen on Sunday. Second-placed Leipzig on 31 visit Freiburg on Saturday.RESULT:Hertha Berlin 1 (Selke 46) Borussia Dortmund 1 (Kagawa 71)German Bundesliga table after Friday's match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):Bayern Munich           18 14  2  2 40 12 44RB Leipzig              18  9  4  5 30 26 31Borussia Dortmund       19  8  6  5 40 25 30Schalke 04              18  8  6  4 29 24 30Bayer Leverkusen        18  7  7  4 35 26 28Bor. Moenchengladbach   18  8  4  6 28 30 28Augsburg                18  7  6  5 28 23 27Hoffenheim              18  7  6  5 28 23 27Eintracht Frankfurt     18  7  6  5 21 19 27Hanover 96              18  7  5  6 27 28 26Hertha Berlin           19  6  7  6 27 27 25VfL Wolfsburg           18  3 11  4 21 21 20VfB Stuttgart           18  6  2 10 14 21 20Freiburg                18  4  8  6 18 32 20Mainz 05                18  4  5  9 21 31 17Werder Bremen           18  3  7  8 14 21 16Hamburg                 18  4  3 11 15 26 15Cologne                 18  2  3 13 12 33  9  Hertha Berlins Fabian Lustenberger in action with Borussia Dortmunds Andre Schurrle during their Bundesliga match at Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany on Friday