Leverkusen stretches record unbeaten run to 45 games after Stanišić scores late at Dortmund

BERLIN (AP) — Josip Stanišić scored in stoppage time for champion Bayer Leverkusen to preserve its German record unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Leverkusen substitute Florian Wirtz sent in a corner that Stanišić headed to equalize in the seventh minute of stoppage time, stretching the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season to 45 games across all competitions.

"Today was crazy," Stanišić said.

Leverkusen, which clinched its first ever Bundesliga title last weekend, was heading toward its first defeat since the final day of last season when Niclas Füllkrug scored for Dortmund in the 81st minute.

Marcel Sabitzer crossed for Füllkrug to score with a volley against the run of play as Leverkusen had gone closer to breaking the deadlock.

Tempers flared late in the game before Stanišić kept the league champions’ celebrations going for another week.

“Our goal is to complete the season unbeaten,” Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka said.

Xabi Alonso’s team, which has also reached the German Cup final, faces Roma in the Europa League semifinals with the first leg in Rome on May 2.

BREMEN STUNS STUTTGART

Marvin Ducksch scored twice for Werder Bremen to beat Stuttgart 2-1 and end the visitors' 11-game run without defeat in the league

Ducksch dispatched a penalty in the 28th minute, then scored again early in the second half for Bremen to take a big step away from the relegation zone.

Germany forward Deniz Undav scored late for Stuttgart but couldn’t prevent the visitors’ first league loss since January, when the team lost 1-0 at Bochum.

Stuttgart remained third, on course for Champions League qualification, despite the loss.

Bremen moved eight points clear of Mainz, which was in the relegation playoff place before it played later at Freiburg.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, up, scores for his team in the last minute against Dortmund's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, right, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. The match ended 1-1, Leverkusen is unbeaten since 45 matches. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, center, celebrates after scoring in the last minute during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, up, scores for his team in the last minute during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. The match ended 1-1, Leverkusen is unbeaten since 45 matches. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, left, celebrates after scoring in the last minute during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Werder's Nick Woltemade, right, fights for the ball with Stuttgart's Leonidas Stergiou during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)

Werder's Marvin Ducksch celebrates after scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)

Werder's Marvin Ducksch, centre, scores his side's first goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)

Werder's Marvin Ducksch celebrates after scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)

Werder's Marvin Ducksch celebrates after scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — As Ukraine marked its third Easter at war, Russia launched a barrage of drones concentrated in Ukraine’s east where the situation on the front line is worsening. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians in an Easter address to be united in prayer and called God an “ally” in the war with Russia.

Ukraine’s air force said Sunday that Russia had launched 24 Shahed drones, of which 23 had been shot down by air defenses.

Six people, including a child, were wounded in a drone strike in the eastern Kharkiv region, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said.

Fires broke out when debris from drones that were shot down fell on buildings in the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. No casualties were reported.

Officials in Kyiv urged residents to follow Orthodox Easter services online due to safety concerns. Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city administration, warned that “even on such bright days of celebration, we can expect evil deeds from the aggressor.”

Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to unite in prayer for each other and soldiers on the front line.

In a video filmed in front of Kyiv’s Saint Sophia Cathedral, wearing a traditional Vyshyvanka embroidered shirt, Zelenskyy said that God “has a chevron with the Ukrainian flag on his shoulder.” With “such an ally,” Zelenskyy said, “life will definitely win over death.”

A majority of Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the church is divided. Many belong to the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church was loyal to the patriarch in Moscow until splitting from Russia after the 2022 invasion and is viewed with suspicion by many Ukrainians.

In Moscow, worshippers including President Vladimir Putin packed Moscow’s landmark Christ the Savior Cathedral late Saturday for a nighttime Easter service led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and an outspoken supporter of the Kremlin.

Eastern Orthodox Christians usually celebrate Easter later than Catholic and Protestant churches, because they use a different method of calculating the date for the holy day that marks Christ’s resurrection.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Priest Ivan, chaplain of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian army, leads a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Priest Ivan, blesses Ukrainian servicemen of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, during a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service Donetsk region, Ukraine, early Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Priest Ivan blesses Ukrainian servicemen of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, during a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, early Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Priest Ivan, chaplain of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian army, lights candles during a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Priest Ivan, chaplain of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian army, leads a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Food are gathered to be blessed during a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service at the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade compound, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, early Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

An Ukrainian serviceman of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, lights candles during a Christian Orthodox Easter religious service, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)