Florian Wirtz and Bayer missed out on important points. © APA/afp / INA FASSBENDER

Leverkusen and Dortmund lose ground

Bayer Leverkusen has unexpectedly squandered a planned obligatory victory in their hunt for league leaders FC Bayern Munich.

05 October 2024

From: dpa

The champions had to settle for a 2-0 draw at home against newcomers Holstein Kiel despite leading 2-2. Leverkusen are in fifth place, two points behind Bayern, who face second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt in the top match on Sunday (17.30 p.m.).

Four days after their 7-1 win over Celtic Glasgow and taking the lead in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund also suffered a bitter setback. Coach Nuri Sahin's team lost 1-1 to 2. FC Union Berlin.

Leopold Querfeld and Union Berlin defeated BVB. © ANSA / FILIP SINGER

For coach Peter Zeidler, the pressure continues to increase after VfL Bochum's 1:3 defeat against VfL Wolfsburg. Bochum is still winless and with just one point is now bottom of the table behind Kiel. SC Freiburg celebrated a 1:0 victory at Werder Bremen. In an uneventful match in Bremen, Ritsu Doan (75th) gave Freiburg the winning goal.

Leverkusen dominated the opening phase against the underdog from Kiel. Victor Boniface (4th minute) and Jonas Hofmann (8th) initially made things clear with their goals. But Max Geschwill (45th+5th) and Fiete Arp (70th) with a penalty kick surprisingly equalized for the newcomer.

Bochum new last

Dortmund got off to a very weak start in Berlin and deservedly fell behind thanks to a penalty goal by Kevin Vogt (26'). Before that, Benedict Hollerbach had been fouled in the penalty area by national player Nico Schlotterbeck. Shortly before half-time, Yorbe Vertessen (45') increased the lead to 2-0 for the hosts. Former Union player Julian Ryerson (62') reduced the deficit for BVB.

Bochum were unlucky at first. A handball penalty was taken back after video evidence. And just a minute later, Tiago Tomas scored the 0-1. Jonas Wind (37th) scored VfL's second goal. After the break, VfL came back to 72-1 through Myron Boadu (2nd). Wind (88th) then made the decision with a follow-up shot after he himself had missed a handball penalty.

St. Pauli loses evening game

FSV Mainz 05 has extended FC St. Pauli's wait for their first home win in the Bundesliga since their promotion. With a 3-0 (2-0) win, the guests from Rhineland-Palatinate ended Hamburg's brief upward trend and remained unbeaten in their third away game of the season.

Jonathan Burkardt with a brace (5th minute/62nd) and Armindo Sieb (16th) scored the Mainz goals in front of 29.546 spectators in the sold-out Millerntor Stadium.