Lewandowski ties Bundesliga goal record; Hertha finally safe

Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski equaled the Bundesliga’s record of 40 goals in a season and Augsburg, Mainz and Hertha Berlin all clinched survival in the penultimate round on Saturday.

Lewandowski converted an early penalty in Bayern’s 2-2 draw at Freiburg as the Poland forward matched Gerd Müller’s record from 1972. Bayern secured the title last weekend.

Augsburg secured top-tier status with a 2-0 win over relegation rival Werder Bremen, which dropped into the playoff place ahead of the last round. Augsburg moved to 36 points, five clear of Bremen in the relegation zone.

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)

Arminia Bielefeld moved a point above Bremen with a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim.

Both Bielefeld and Bremen can still be overtaken by Cologne, which is a point behind Bremen after battling to a scoreless draw at Hertha.

That was enough for Hertha to move to 35 points, four clear of the relegation zone, ensuring its survival after a season that didn’t go to plan. Hertha had been targeting European qualification.

Augsburg's players celebrate after the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and SV Werder Bremen in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)

Mainz is also safe despite not playing on Saturday. Bo Svensson’s team hosts Borussia Dortmund on Sunday but cannot be caught on 36 points even if it loses its last two games.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a blow in a 4-3 defeat at last-place Schalke. It was just Schalke’s third win all season and it left Frankfurt fifth, a point behind German Cup winner Dortmund, which still has two games to play. The top four qualify for Europe’s premier club competition.

Bayer Leverkusen qualified for the second-tier Europa League with a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin. Union capitalized on Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 2-1 defeat at home to Stuttgart to move seventh, which would secure qualification for the Conference League, UEFA’s new third-tier European competition.

Augsburg's Florian Niederlechner, left, and Werder Bremen's Omer Toprak challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and SV Werder Bremen in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)

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Freiburg's Philipp Lienhart, right, and Bayern's Robert Lewandowski challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)

German national soccer team coach Joachim Loew watches the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)

Freiburg's Nils Petersen, left, and Bayern's David Alaba challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)