2. Bundesliga: Cottbus and Nürnberg share spoils as Zoma suffers shoulder injury

Nürnberg dropped points for the second game running after their 1-1 draw in Cottbus.

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Energie Cottbus and Nürnberg shared spoils after an entertaining second-half that saw Miroslav Klose's side kept their unbeaten record with an equalizin goal ten minutes before time.

Nürnberg suffered an early blow with the injury to 2. Bundesliga top-scorer Mohamed Ali Zoma. The Italian international suffered his first setback in the sixth minute, but he played through pain for nearly half an hour before finally giving up due to what seems like a shoulder injury.

Although Rayan Ghrieb was denied by the woodwork with the best chance of the half, it was the hosts who created more opportunities in the final third. King Manu had the first chance of the evening before Justin Butler's attempt to extend his impressive scoring run.

The German-American succeeded in scoring for the fourth time on the trot ten minutes after the restart. Leonardo Bittencourt produced an unselfish assist as the duo broke Nürnberg's offside trap. 

Butler scored for the second time less than ten minutes later, but Henry Rorig was in an offside position before his pass to the former Borussia Dortmund II striker. The visitors had then two clear-cut chances through Piet Scobel.

The 21-year-old was first denied his sixth goal by the post before Marcel Lotka produced the save of the game from his powerful header. However, Miroslav Klose's side still found their way as Armenian defender Styopa Mkrtchyan scored from close range in his first competitive appearance of the season.

Klose's men were the closest to take all three points after that, but Cottbus held on to their solitary point. Nürnberg missed out on closing the gap with league leaders Hertha BSC, whose perfect record ended with a goalless draw away at winless Holstein Kiel.