Leipzig kept Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich waiting for its title with a 2-0 win over 10-man Stuttgart on Sunday.
Leipzig cut the gap on Bayern to seven points with three rounds remaining and can technically still win the title if Bayern follows its surprise 2-1 loss at Mainz on Saturday with a late-season collapse. Bayern next hosts Borussia Mönchengladbach on May 8, when it can seal a record-extending ninth straight title.
Leipzig’s focus was on Champions League qualification, virtually assured with Julian Nagelsmann’s team consolidating second place.
Cologne goalkeeper Timo Horn, right, fends off Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele, bottom, during their German Bundesliga Soccer match in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday April 20, 2021. (Rolf VennenberndPool via AP)
The home side’s task was made easier early on when Stuttgart's Naouirou Ahamada was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Amadou Haidara. Referee Deniz Aytekin initially showed yellow but changed his mind after getting a prompt from the video referee to check replays.
In a lighter moment, Ibrahima Konaté had been playing while wearing substitute Dayot Upamecano’s shorts. The French defender had to change on the sidelines into his No. 6.
Stuttgart goalkeeper Gregor Kobel kept the game scoreless to the break, but Haidara made the breakthrough right after it, when Dani Olmo crossed for the Mali midfielder to score his third goal of the season.
Leipzig's Tyler Adams, left, and Stuttgart's Marc Oliver Kempf in action during their German Bundesliga soccer match at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Sunday April 25, 2021. (Odd AndersenPool via AP)
Kobel produced an outstanding double-save to deny Angeliño, and Olmo from the rebound, in the 63rd — four minutes before Emil Forsberg made it 2-0 with a penalty.
Stuttgart has now lost its last four games, leaving the club a point off the 40 total that sporting director Sven Mislintat identified as its target for the season.
Leipzig next has a German Cup semifinal against struggling Werder Bremen on Friday. Borussia Dortmund hosts second-division Holstein Kiel in the other semifinal.
Stuttgart's striker Sasa Kalajdzic, 2nd from left, and Leipzig's defender Ibrahima Konate, 3rd from left, in a header melee during their German Bundesliga soccer match at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Sunday April 25, 2021. (Odd AndersenPool via AP)
Borussia Mönchengladbach hosted relegation-threatened Arminia Bielefeld later Sunday.
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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)
