Bundesliga Wrap, Matchday 31

Bayern München’s wait for a record extending German Bundesliga title has been delayed following a 2-1 loss to FSV Mainz 05.

Jonathan Michael Burkardt drew first blood for Mainz in the third minute and Robin Quaison doubled their tally on 37 minutes. Robert Lewandowski made a scoring return as he scored for Bayern in the fourth minute of second-half injury time but it was too late as Hansi Flick’s side could not find the equaliser. They still remain at the summit of the standings with 71 points and their conquerors have risen to 12th on the log after amassing 34 points.

Second-placed RasenBallsport Leipzig made light work of 10th-placed VfB Stuttgart, winning 2-0 at the Red Bull Arena. Leipzig used their numerical advantage to good effect as Stuttgart’s Naouirou Ahamada was sent off on 14 minutes.

Amadou Haidara was on target and Emil Forsberg converted a penalty on 46 and 67 minutes respectively, as Julian Nagelsmann’s made off with maximum points.

Erling Braut Haaland led a 10-man Dortmund to a 2-0 win over third-placed VfL Wolfsburg to boost their top-four hopes. The Norwegian youngster netted a brace, with goals in the 12th and 68th minute to help fifth-placed Dortmund move within a point off the UEFA Champions League places in a game where Jude Bellingham received a red card.

Sixth-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen recorded a 3-1 win against fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, thanks to a flurry of late goals at the BayArena.

Leon Bailey opened the scoring just before 70 minutes and Lucas Alario added a second, ten minutes later. André Silva pulled one back for Frankfurt on the stroke of full time but Kerem Demirbay sealed the win for Leverkusen with a goal in the second half added time. Leverkusen have increased their points tally to 50 points, thanks to the win while Frankfurt still have 57 points.

Joel Pohjanpalo netted a hattrick for Union Berlin as he single-handedly guided his side to a 3-1 triumph over Werder Bremen.
Pohjanpalo struck three times in 17 minutes – in the 50th, 53rd and 67th. Theodor Gebre Selassie netted for Bremen in the 82nd minute but it would only prove to be a consolation. Following the win, Union Berlin lie eighth on the log, after amassing 46 points and Werder Bremen are 14th with 30 points.

Ninth-placed SC Freiburg and 11th-placed 1899 Hoffenheim shared the spoils in a one-all draw. Hoffenheim got their noses in front after Andrej Kramaric found the back of the net five minutes before halftime. Vincent Grifo converted a penalty nine minutes from time to help Freiburg steal a point.

FC Köln’s charge for survival continued as they recorded a massive 3-2 win at FC Augsburg on Friday. Köln were surprisingly 3-nil up in the opening 33 minutes, thanks to a brace from Ondrej Duda and a goal from Florian Kainz. Augsburg began their quest for a comeback as Robert Gumny netted on 54 minutes and Ruben Vargas added a second two minutes after the hour mark but they could not get a third goal.

Köln’s points tally increased to 29 points as they moved up a place to the relegation/promotion spot in 16th and Augsburg dropped to 13th after the loss.

Results

Friday, April 23: FC Augsburg 2 – 3 FC Köln

Saturday, April 24:

FSV Mainz 05 2 – 1 Bayern München

VfL Wolfsburg 0 – 2 Borussia Dortmund

SC Freiburg 1 – 1 1899 Hoffenheim

Union Berlin 3 – 1 Werder Bremen

Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt

Sunday, April 25

RB Leipzig 2 – 0 VfB Stuttgart

Borussia Moenchengladbach 5-0 Arminia Bielefeld

Story by Sammy Wejinya

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