Borussia Dortmund head coach Peter Bosz labelled his side's 2-1 win at Augsburg as their worst performance of his tenure.
The Bundesliga leaders dazzled before the interval at WWK Arena, with Andriy Yarmolenko's clever backheeled finish in the fifth minute and Shinji Kagawa's sensational lob coming either side of an equaliser by Caiuby.
Manuel Baum's men responded in spirited fashion after the break, pushing Dortmund back for long periods, and Bosz was forced to endure a tense finale on the touchline after a botched "Panenka" penalty compounded a wretched showing in front of goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Dortmund sit five points clear at the top of the standings after six wins and a draw under Bosz, with Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich not in action until Sunday, but the former Ajax boss conceded his players were fortunate to escape with the points on this occasion.
"I am very happy about the result because it's the worst game since I've been coach here," he told a post-match news conference.
"You can make such games maybe twice a year – and Auba also… normally you lose."
Mario Gotze was left out of the Dortmund matchday squad and Bosz explained his decision was taken as a precaution, with the Germany international still building fitness having been struck down by a metabolic disorder earlier this year.
"Mario would love to have played but I didn't want him to," the coach added. "It was the third game in a week and it's still too much for him."
Dortmund captain Sokratis Papastathopoulos echoed his manager's assessment of the team's performance.
"We need to play better," he told reporters. "But we are first, that's what matters now."
