Adrian Ramos to the rescue

Adrian Ramos to the rescue

Adrian Ramos headed an equaliser two minutes into stoppage time to earn 10-man Bundesliga basement boys Hertha Berlin a point against leaders Bayer Leverkusen tonight.

The Colombian netted his second of the game just seconds after Burak Kaplan looked to have won it for the visitors.

Toni Kroos had levelled for Bayer in the 76th minute - a minute before Hertha had Gojko Kacar sent off.

Hertha came into the game having taken just two points from a possible 42, but they got off to a flying start as Ramos put them ahead in the eighth minute, slotting a shot past Rene Adler from the right side of the area.

At the other end, Eren Derdiyok met Tranquillo Barnetta's left-wing cross but headed straight at Jaroslav Drobny.

The Hertha keeper was helped out by his defence in the 36th minute, though, when he unconvincingly palmed away Gonzalo Castro's cross.

Victory for Bayer would have moved them six points clear at the top of the table, and they were almost level three minutes after the break.

Stefan Kiessling's fine strike from the left channel was tipped over the bar from Drobny.

And the pressure on Hertha told with 14 minutes remaining as Kroos chested the ball down following Barnetta's left-wing corner a struck a half-volley into the bottom right corner from just outside the area.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when Kacar was shown a second yellow card for throwing the ball away, having been penalised for a foul.

And Bayer looked to have snatched victory in the 90th minute when Kaplan's low drive took a wicked deflection which deceived Drobny, the ball looping past the helpless keeper and into the bottom left corner when it had looked destined for the right.

There was to be an even later string in the tail, however, as Drobny, who had gone forward for Raffael's corner, distracted Bayer defender Sami Hyypia, giving Ramos the chance to power home a free header.