Leverkusen on brink of Bundesliga history

BERLIN — Bayer Leverkusen is just three points from a first Bundesliga title after a 1-0 win at Union Berlin on Saturday, with Bayern Munich letting a two-goal lead slip in a 3-2 loss at Heidenheim.

Bayern was cruising at halftime thanks to strikes from Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry but conceded three times in the second half, losing its second match in a row.

Florian Wirtz converted a penalty deep into first-half stoppage time as Leverkusen was made to work hard in the German capital against 10-man Union, extending its unbeaten run this season to 41 games.

Xabi Alonso's side needs just three points from its remaining six matches to clinch the club's first league title.

Bayern, on a streak of 11 straight Bundesliga titles, could relinquish its crown this week in between the first and second legs of its Champions League quarterfinal against Arsenal.

Union did its best to hold on despite Leverkusen's relentless pressure but gave way just before halftime when Germany defender Robin Gosens picked up a second yellow card for a desperation tackle on Nathan Tella near the penalty box.

After some chaotic scenes from the ensuing freekick, the ball connected with the arm of Union captain Christopher Trimmel, giving Leverkusen a penalty after a long VAR review.

Wirtz calmly dispatched the penalty, his third goal in his last two games.

Late in the second half, word filtered through to the visiting fans that Bayern was trailing at Heidenheim, sending them into raptures.

"Of course the situation is super but we don't want to celebrate yet," said Alonso.

"We can maybe celebrate something next Sunday. Before that there's a Europa League game (at home against West Ham).

"Nothing is settled yet and we need to wait a little."

Bayern looked in fine form early in the game, despite missing several injured first-choice players including Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman, with coach Thomas Tuchel taking a cautious approach with Tuesday's Champions League trip to Arsenal in mind.

The ever-reliable Kane, yet to miss a league match this campaign, opened the scoring, scrambling in a Gnabry assist after 38 minutes.

Gnabry seemingly had Bayern on track for a simple victory when he scored just before the break, but the host turned the match around early in the second half.

Kevin Sessa and Tim Kleindienst both scored inside the space of 90 seconds to level the score and stun the visitor.

Kleindienst struck again with 11 minutes remaining to snatch victory in Heidenheim's first home match against Bayern, a goal celebrated 460 kilometers away in Leverkusen.

'Too easy'

"We were drastically punished for not keeping our energy," Tuchel said.

"The manner in which we lost today was too easy. Congratulations to Heidenheim. They turned the game on its head."

In Saturday's late game, Stuttgart won 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund to draw level with second-placed Bayern on 60 points.

Serhou Guirassy scored the only goal of the game, blasting in on the counterattack for his 24th league goal of the season.

Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck had a golden chance to equalize late but somehow blazed over with the goal beckoning.

AFP