Bundesliga’s battle for Champions League places intensifies

By: Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press Posted: 10:41 AM CDT Saturday, Apr. 29, 2023 Last Modified: 2:15 PM CDT Saturday, Apr. 29, 2023

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BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin drew with Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 to stay third in the Bundesliga on Saturday, when Freiburg and Leipzig won their games as the battle for Champions League qualification intensified.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/04/2023 (1254 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Japan midfielder Ritsu Doan scored for Freiburg to win in Cologne 1-0 and stay fourth, just behind Union on goal difference, while Christopher Nkunku’s first-half strike was enough for Leipzig to win at Hoffenheim 1-0 and move to two points behind both Union and Freiburg.

The top four qualify for Europe’s premier competition. Four rounds remain after this weekend.

Freiburg's players celebrate their side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Cologne and SC Freiburg in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 29, 2023. (Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP)

UNION RECORD

Both Union and Leverkusen stretched their unbeaten runs. Union was unbeaten in 21 games at home – a club record – while Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 14 games across all competitions.

Xabi Alonso’s team hasn’t lost a game since Feb. 19.

A scoreless draw was perhaps the predictable outcome from a meeting of teams with the best defenses in the league since the winter break.

“An intense, brilliant 0-0 draw is how I’d describe it,” Union coach Urs Fischer said. “We showed against the most in-form team in the league at the moment that we can compete and play for 90 minutes. And we had one or another chances.”

Union made the better start and pushed for the opener – cautiously. Fischer had clearly warned his players of Leverkusen’s threat on counterattacks.

“We were really able to neutralize Leverkusen’s quick switching game,” Fischer said.

Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz showed brief glimpses of what he was capable of but otherwise the home team maintained control.

SCHALKE DRAMA

Dominick Drexler scored in injury time as Schalke came from behind with two late goals to beat Werder Bremen 2-1 and rekindle its survival hopes.

The Gelsenkirchen-based club – which is second from bottom – was contemplating yet another defeat after Marvin Ducksch’s early goal for the visitors, but Sepp van den Berg equalized in the 81st minute and Drexler produced his dramatic winner.

Schalke moved to one point behind Bochum and Stuttgart, and two behind Hoffenheim.

STUTTGART HOPE

Stuttgart boosted its chances of survival with a 2-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. Tanguy Coulibaly scored a late penalty for Stuttgart to leave the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of Bochum, which drew with league leader Borussia Dortmund 1-1 on Friday.

Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Augsburg 1-1.

Last-placed Hertha Berlin visits Bayern Munich on Sunday, when the Bavarian powerhouse will hope to capitalize on Dortmund’s draw to reclaim top spot.

___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports