Bayer Leverkusen missed the chance to go second in the Bundesliga with a 0-0 draw at home to Hertha Berlin on Sunday, while Hoffenheim’s winless run was extended to seven league games after being held by Mainz.
In-form Jamaica winger Leon Bailey had found the net five times in his last four matches for Leverkusen in all competitions, but he and his colleagues were left frustrated on Sunday as Hertha took a hard-earned point back to the German capital.
“Hertha were difficult to play against, so there wasn’t much more in it for us today. We had too few chances and didn’t use our set-pieces,” said Leverkusen midfielder Julian Baumgartlinger.
Leverkusen had scored 18 goals in their previous five matches, but their in-form attack was held at bay by a suffocating Berlin defence on Sunday.
Both Bailey and Kerem Demirbay tested goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow with long-range efforts in the first half, while Dodi Lukebakio twice came close for Hertha at the other end.
Lars Bender almost snatched a late winner for Leverkusen when he flicked Demirbay’s free-kick past the post from six yards out.
A win would have seen Leverkusen move to within a point of league leaders Bayern Munich. Instead, they remain in third behind Bayern and RB Leipzig.
Hertha, who have earned just eight points in their first nine games, will hope to put their season back on course with a win in next Friday’s derby against high-flying cross-city rivals Union Berlin.
Later on Sunday, Togo striker Ihlas Bebou secured Hoffenheim a point in a 1-1 draw away to Mainz.
Bebou’s second-half equaliser rescued a frustrating afternoon for Hoffenheim, who have not won in the league since their surprise 4-1 victory over champions Bayern in September.
“It’s a bit frustrating because we wanted to win today and the three points would have done us a lot of good,” Bebou told Sky.
Jean-Philippe Mateta twice came close for Mainz before Robin Quaison put them ahead with a tap-in just after the half-hour mark.
Having dominated possession for much of the game, Hoffenheim were finally rewarded for their patience when Bebou turned Ryan Sessegnon’s cross into the net on 62 minutes.
Mateta struck the post with 15 minutes to play, and Hoffenheim were forced to cling on with 10 men after Dennis Geiger was sent off for kicking out at Mainz striker Karim Onisiwo.
After losing their first six games this season, Mainz are now unbeaten in November but remain in the bottom three after Sunday’s draw.
Hoffenheim are stuck in 12th, their domestic troubles in stark contrast to a sparkling Europa League campaign, in which they have won four games out of four.
kih/jc
© Agence France-Presse
