Bayern Munich's pursuit of a record ninth consecutive Bundesliga title got a boost on Sunday after second-place Leipzig drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Needing a win to close the gap after Bayern's 3-1 win over Werder Bremen on Saturday, Leipzig took the lead with Emil Forsberg's goal in the 46th minute. Poor marking allowed Daichi Kamada to level the score for Frankfurt 15 minutes later. That left Bayern with a four-point lead with nine games remaining.
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Bayern Munich's pursuit of a record ninth consecutive Bundesliga title got a boost on Sunday after second-place Leipzig drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Trapp's save from Yussuf Poulsen kept Frankfurt in the game before the visitors had a chance to win when Luka Jovic, on loan from Real Madrid, blasted a shot into the side netting.
Leverkusen's defeat to Bielefeld continued a disastrous 2021 for a team which led the league in December.
Doan beat Edmond Tapsoba to the ball to push Christian Gebauer's cross in off the bar in the 17th minute. Okugawa scored the second when he was left free in the box as two defenders rushed to close down Anderson Lucoqui on the flanks, only for Lucoqui to play in Okugawa for the finish. Leverkusen closed the gap with Patrik Schick's goal in added time, but couldn't find another to level the game.
It was a day for the Bundesliga's Japanese players to shine as Kamada scored for Frankfurt, while Ritsu Doan and Masaya Okugawa were on target for Arminia Bielefeld in a surprise 2-1 win over slumping Bayer Leverkusen.
Leipzig's head coach Julian Nagelsmann shouts during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt in Leipzig, Germany, Sunday, March 14, 2021. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
LEIPZIG STALEMATE
Leipzig came into the game against Frankfurt on a run of six Bundesliga wins which had brought it back into striking range of Bayern. Justin Kluivert forced a good save from Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp early on. A slice of luck gave Leipzig the lead early in the second half as Trapp parried a speculative shot from Kluivert into the path of Forsberg for a simple finish.
Kamada was left in space to meet Andre Silva's cross as the Leipzig defense tracked back. Leipzig's defensive record is among the Bundesliga's best, but errors played a big part in its elimination from the Champions League by Liverpool.
Frankfurt's Djibril Sow, left, and Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt in Leipzig, Germany, Sunday, March 14, 2021. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Trapp's save from Yussuf Poulsen kept Frankfurt in the game before the visitors had a chance to win when Luka Jovic, on loan from Real Madrid, blasted a shot into the side netting.
The draw gives Frankfurt a two-point cushion over Borussia Dortmund in fifth.
LEVERKUSEN SLUMPS
Bielefeld's Masaya Okugawa, right, celebrates after scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arminia Bielefeld in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, March 14, 2021. (Ina FassbenderPool via AP)
Leverkusen's defeat to Bielefeld continued a disastrous 2021 for a team which led the league in December.
Since Leverkusen lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in December in a top-of-the-table match, it's played 13 league games and won just three of them. Hosting relegation-threatened Bielefeld was a chance to close in on the Champions League places. Defeat means Leverkusen is sixth, four points off fourth-place Frankfurt.
Bielefeld won for the first time under coach Frank Kramer in his third game thanks to incisive counterattacks.
Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba , right, and Bielefeld's Ritsu Doan fight for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arminia Bielefeld in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, March 14, 2021. (Ina FassbenderPool via AP)
Doan beat Edmond Tapsoba to the ball to push Christian Gebauer's cross in off the bar in the 17th minute. Okugawa scored the second when he was left free in the box as two defenders rushed to close down Anderson Lucoqui on the flanks, only for Lucoqui to play in Okugawa for the finish. Leverkusen closed the gap with Patrik Schick's goal in added time, but couldn't find another to level the game.
Bielefeld rose to 15th and dropped big-spending Hertha Berlin into the relegation playoff place. Stuttgart hosts Hoffenheim later Sunday.
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Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz looks down at the touchline during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arminia Bielefeld in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, March 14, 2021. (Ina FassbenderPool via AP)
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
