Leipzig thump Bayern to hand Dortmund title edge, Hertha relegated
Bayern led 1-0 thanks to an early Serge Gnabry goal and looked in cruise control, but the visitors scored three second-half goals to turn the match, and the Bundesliga title race, on its head
Leaders Bayern Munich suffered a shock 3-1 home loss to RB Leipzig on Saturday, leaving their title hopes hanging in the balance ahead of the last match day and offering rivals Borussia Dortmund the chance to overtake them on Sunday.
The Bavarians went ahead with Serge Gnabry but inexplicably took their foot off the gas and conceded three goals in the second half through Konrad Laimer and penalties from Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai to turn the match, and the Bundesliga title race, on its head.
Leipzig’s first ever win in Munich guarantees them third place and a Champions League spot next season.
An injury time goal from Bochum’s Keven Schloterbeck sent Hertha Berlin back to the second division, with a 1-1 draw in the German capital on Saturday.
Dead last coming into the weekend, Hertha appeared poised to delay relegation for at least another week when Lucas Tousart headed in a second-half goal at Berlin’s Olympic stadium.
But Schloterbeck’s header in the fourth minute of injury time secured Bochum a draw and sent Hertha back to the second division ater a decade in the Bundesliga.
“We don’t have to be ashamed of our performance today, we didn’t get relegated because of today,” Hertha manager Pal Dardai said ater the match.
Berlin-born midfielder Kevin-prince Boateng, who started his career at Hertha, then moving to Totenham, AC Milan and Barcelona before returning, said with tears in his eyes: “You can’t blame the team, relegation wasn’t about today. “I just love the club, it’s just biter.” Bochum’s point means they climb one place clear of the relegation zone with one week remaining.
Elsewhere, Schalke striker Sebastian Polter scored late at home against Eintracht Frankfurt to give his side a 2-2 draw, claiming a crucial point against the drop.
Schalke, promoted at the start of the season, took the lead in the first minute as captain Simon Terodde headed in a free kick.
Daichi Kamada equalised 20 minutes later for the visitors and Tuta gave Frankfurt the lead 15 minutes into the second half, before Polter scored just his second of the season with five minutes remaining.
Union Berlin wasted a chance to close in on a first-ever Champions League appearance, losing 4-2 at Hoffenheim.
Union fell behind 2-0 following errors from Portuguese centre-back Diogo Leite.
Leite headed a ball goalwards into the path of Hoffenheim’s Ihlas Bebou, who scored the opener, and then gave away a penalty which was converted by Andrej Kramaric.
Dutch defender Danilho Doekhi pulled a goal back for the visitors in first-half injury time, heading in a cross from captain Christopher Trimmel.
With Union pushing for an equaliser, Kramaric scored with one minute remaining to secure a 3-1 lead.
Both sides scored a goal in injury time as Hoffenheim climbed four clear of the relegation spots.
Werder Bremen ensured another year in the top division with a 1-1 draw at home against Cologne.
A first-half goal by Steffen Tigges gave Cologne the lead but Romano Schmid scored late in the second half to snare a point for the home side.
Bremen were promoted before the season ater one year in the second division -- their first relegation in 40 years.
Dortmund, chasing their first league title in ten years, play Augsburg on Sunday.