Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday, handing defending champions Bayer Leverkusen an outside chance to close the gap in the Bundesliga title race.
Bayern, who also dropped points in a surprising 4-1 loss at home to Bochum last week, could see their lead reduced to just six points if Leverkusen wins at Stuttgart on Sunday.
“It was a game of two stories: the performance and the result,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. “I’ve been in football long enough to know this wasn’t a bad performance away from home. Sometimes when you don’t score, it’s not because the strikers are lacking, but because the defenders and keepers do everything right.”
Bayern dominated possession but struggled to break down a resolute Union defense. With few clear chances in the first half, Bayern’s best opportunity came in the 51st minute when Harry Kane’s free-kick drilled through the wall but was comfortably saved by Frederik Ronnow.
Leroy Sané put the visitors ahead in the 75th minute, weaving through a crowded penalty area to tap in a pass from Josip Stanisic.
However, Union responded strongly after Bayern’s goal, and the hosts leveled through Benedict Hollerbach, who capitalized on an error from Bayern’s inexperienced goalkeeper, Jonas Urbig.
Union pushed forward in the dying stages, aiming for a historic win over Bayern in their 12th attempt, but were unable to land the decisive blow. Despite their struggles near the relegation zone, Union have shown resilience at home against top Bundesliga teams, with Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz, Freiburg, and now Bayern all leaving Berlin without a win.
Union coach Steffen Baumgart praised his team’s “passion in defense,” noting that his side had “won a point that nobody would have expected,” moving seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Dortmund’s woes continue in Leipzig
Dortmund’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season took a major blow after a 2-0 loss at RB Leipzig left them in 11th place.
Leipzig took the lead in the 18th minute when Xavi Simons tapped in a rebound following a fast Leipzig counter. Lois Openda doubled the advantage shortly after halftime, volleying in Simons’ corner.
Dortmund mounted heavy pressure in the second half but failed to capitalize on a series of chances, with striker Serhou Guirassy squandering several key opportunities.
Dortmund now face a near-impossible task to qualify for the Champions League for the second time in the past 15 seasons, sitting seven points adrift of fourth place.
Leipzig’s win lifted them to fifth, tied on points with fourth-placed Frankfurt, who play at Bochum on Sunday. Dortmund are now seven points behind.
Mainz and Freiburg draw
In an unlikely battle for Champions League spots, Mainz and Freiburg drew 2-2. Mainz, who played the second half with 10 men after Dominik Kohr was sent off in the 43rd minute, twice took the lead, only for Freiburg to equalize each time.
The draw leaves Mainz in third place and Freiburg in sixth, with neither club ever having played in the Champions League.
Plea’s hat-trick keeps Gladbach on track
A hat-trick from Alassane Pléa helped Borussia Mönchengladbach secure a 4-2 win at Werder Bremen, keeping them in the hunt for European football next season.
Pléa scored twice in the first half, but Bremen responded with two quick goals from Romano Schmid and Andre Silva, leveling the score at halftime. Pléa completed his hat-trick just two minutes into the second half, and Tim Kleindienst added a fourth to seal the win for Gladbach.
Augsburg’s impressive run continues
Augsburg continued their impressive form in 2025 with a 1-0 victory over Wolfsburg, with Phillip Tietz scoring the only goal of the match.
Augsburg are now unbeaten in their last 10 league matches and have conceded just three goals this calendar year, the fewest of any team in Europe’s top five leagues.
AFP
