Bayern fails to clinch title, Dortmund keeps race alive

Bundesliga

Bayern Munich missed the chance to win the Bundesliga in a scoreless draw at Leipzig while Borussia Dortmund kept the title race alive by beating Fortuna Düsseldorf 3-2 yesterday.

Bayern, which would have secured a seventh straight title with a win, blew the first of what coach Niko Kovac called “two match balls” as it allowed Dortmund to close the gap to two points before the final round next weekend.

Bayern boasts a considerably better goal difference by 17 goals, meaning a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in Munich next Saturday will be enough to seal the title. Dortmund must win at Borussia Mönchengladbach and hope for a Frankfurt victory to take the title.

Stuttgart defeated Wolfsburg 3-0 to clinch the relegation playoff place and condemn the bottom two, Hannover and Nuremberg, to the second division.

Gladbach defeated Nuremberg 3-0 away to move to fourth, ahead of Bayer Leverkusen on goal difference, for the last Champions League qualification place. Leverkusen was held at home by Schalke to 1-1.

Frankfurt can reclaim fourth place today with a win at home against Mainz.

With Germany coach Joachim Löw watching from the stands, Bayern missed a host of chances to score the goal it needed.

Leon Goretzka had the visiting fans celebrating in the 50th minute when he volleyed in an attempted clearance, but the goal was ruled out through VAR as Robert Lewandowski was marginally offside in the buildup.

Dortmund almost blew another two-goal lead after letting 10-man Düsseldorf come perilously close to an equaliser in injury time.

Christian Pulisic, playing his last home game for Dortmund, opened the scoring four minutes before the break with his first headed goal in the Bundesliga. It could be his last. The American midfielder is leaving for Chelsea in a €64 million deal agreed in January.

Dortmund ’keeper Marwin Hitz - who was filling in for the injured Roman Bürki - let Düsseldorf captain Oliver Fink’s harmless-looking header slip through his fingers in the 47th.

Then came the news that Goretzka had scored for Bayern, but it was ruled out and Thomas Delaney restored Dortmund’s lead over Düsseldorf in the 53rd.

Dodi Lukebakio missed a penalty for Düsseldorf, before Mario Götze thought he’d sealed it in injury time. Dawid Kownacki pulled one back, however, to set up another nervy finale.

TEAMS RELEGATED

Stuttgart defeated Wolfsburg 3-0 to clinch the relegation playoff place and condemn the bottom two teams, Hannover and Nuremberg, to the second division.

Hannover was relegated on the day it produced its best performance of the season - beating Freiburg 3-0. Promotion play-offs semifinals Yesterday Tuesday Today Barcelona Atletico Madrid Getafe Valencia Sevilla Ath. Bilbao Sociedad Espanyol Alaves Eibar Leganes Betis Celta Vigo Villarreal Levante Valladolid Girona R. Vallecano Huesca PW D L F A Pts 36 25 8 3 86 34 83 36 22 8 6 52 26 74 36 21 5 10 62 41 68 36 15 13 8 46 31 58 36 13 16 7 46 34 55 36 16 7 13 59 46 55 36 12 14 10 38 42 50 36 12 11 13 42 43 47 36 12 11 13 44 50 47 36 12 11 13 36 46 47 36 11 13 12 44 47 46 36 11 12 13 36 39 45 36 12 8 16 40 51 44 36 10 10 16 50 57 40 36 9 13 14 46 50 40 36 10 10 16 55 63 40 36 9 11 16 30 48 38 36 9 10 17 35 49 37 36 8 7 21 38 66 31 36 6 12 18 40 62 30 Brescia Lecce Palermo Benevento Pescara Verona Spezia Cittadella Perugia Cremonese Cosenza Crotone Ascoli Livorno Venezia Salernitana Foggia Padova Carpi PW D L F A Pts 36 18 13 5 69 42 67 36 19 9 8 66 45 66 36 16 15 5 57 38 63 36 17 9 10 61 45 60 36 14 13 9 50 46 55 36 13 13 10 49 46 52 36 14 9 13 53 46 51 36 12 15 9 49 38 51 36 14 8 14 49 49 50 36 12 13 11 37 33 49 36 11 13 12 34 42 46 36 11 10 15 40 42 43 36 10 13 13 40 56 43 36 9 12 15 38 51 39 36 8 14 14 35 46 38 36 10 8 18 41 57 38 36 10 13 13 44 49 37 36 5 16 15 36 49 31 36 7 8 21 39 67 29