Bayern Munich are on the brink of reclaiming the Bundesliga title after rivals Bayer Leverkusen were held 1-1 at lowly St Pauli, while Borussia Dortmund got another big win in their bid for European football.
Patrik Schick headed title holders Leverkusen ahead in the 36th minute in Hamburg but Carlo Boukhalfa poked a 78th-minute equaliser for St Pauli, for whom Socceroo Connor Metcalfe started..
Sunday’s draw meant Leverkusen slipped eight points behind Bayern who won 4-0 at Heidenheim on Saturday. St Pauli are all-but safe eight points above the danger zone.
Bayern can clinch a 34th national title and 33rd in the Bundesliga era with three games to spare on Saturday, if they win against Mainz and Leverkusen fail to beat Augsburg.
“We must be honest, the chance is gone,” Schick told DAZN. “Last season was unbelievable. We are still looking ahead but it hurts.
“We lost another two points. The performance was not good enough again. It is the end of the season, we have played many games and did not have enough energy.”
Dortmund meanwhile beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 with three goals late in the first half for another victory over a rival for a place in Europe.
Third placed Eintracht Frankfurt were held 0-0 in Augsburg, both sides hitting the post once, and failed to get a decisive advantage over their rivals for a top four finish.
Gladbach drew first blood in Dortmund when Ko Itakura opened the scoring but Dortmund scored three goals in quick succession late in the half from Serhou Guirassy, Felix Nmecha and Daniel Svensson.
Dortmund had to sweat it out when Kevin Stoger converted from the spot in the 56th-minute but Gladback coul dnot draw level.
With 10 points from their last four games, Dortmund rose to seventh, two points behind Mainz in sixth which is likely the cut off. A top four finish may also still be possible for Dortmund, with RB Leipzig in fourth four points ahead.
