Borussia Dortmund – VfL Bochum 3: 4 (2: 2), Goals: 0: 1 Polter (3rd), 0: 2 Holtmann (8th), 1: 2 Haaland (18th, penalty after VAR), 2: 2 Haaland (30th, penalty after VAR), 3: 2 Haaland (62′), 3-3 Locadia (81′), 3-4 Pantovic (85′)
Revierderby with a difference, because without Schalke – under this motto, two teams met in the pot for whom this season is almost over. Before kick-off, BVB coach Marco Rose and Bochum coach Thomas Reis hugged each other, and they no longer had too many worries about relegation at VfL. The Japanese Takuma Aasano then sped away twice from the outside, twice he brought the ball into the middle, where first Sebastian Polter scored with a header and finally Gerrit Holtmann with a left-footed shot.
And Dortmund? Had to shake the phlegm out of his mind before Erling Haaland was allowed to do hand penalty training: two VAR-tested penalties later it was 2-2 – and the Norwegian had a Bundesliga record. 60 goals after only 65 appearances, no one has ever reached the “sixties club” that quickly. And because Haaland was already there, he added one more: At 3: 2 he showed how a center forward can elegantly throw a flat pass, he had practically shot himself at the end. The fact that Dortmund didn’t win was due to defensive dropouts – first Manuel Akanji admired Bochum’s Jürgen Locadia in the sixteenth minute until the Dutchman shot in dry to make it 3:3. Then there was again, you guessed it, penalties. This time for VfL, Milos Pantovic made it 4:3, Bochum finally secured relegation.
FSV Mainz 05 – FC Bayern 3: 1 (2: 1), Goals: 1-0 Burkardt (18′), 2-0 Niakhaté (27′), 2-1 Lewandowski (33′), 3-1 Barreiro (57.)
Scorer of the first Mainz goal: Jonathan Burkardt.
(Photo: Daniel Roland/AFP)
The most important indication that the season is almost over for FC Bayern? The championship is fixed, the club is out in the cup and Champions League – so Sven Ulreich returns to the goal. The goalkeeper could certainly take a starting XI appearance in Mainz as a thank you for his loyal service – but it wasn’t really fun.
In the first quarter of an hour, Mainz hit the woodwork twice, and in the 18th minute the long-deserved opening goal: Jonathan Burkardt through Ulreich’s legs into the goal. Bayern (with Marcel Sabitzer and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the starting XI) also made it easy for Mainz afterwards: Two other Mainz players were ready to score when captain Moussa Niakhaté made it 2-0. Bayern looked very sleepy, only Robert Lewandowski was getting a little too colorful: quick turn, well-placed shot, goal. But it didn’t help because Mainz had a lot of dizziness when Barreiro made it 3-1. Fifth Munich defeat of the season.
Arminia Bielefeld – Hertha BSC 1: 1 (0: 0), Goals: 0-1 Tousart (54′), 1-1 Nilsson (91′)
Hertha goalkeeper Marcel Lotka (right) saves against Bielefeld’s Masaya Okugawa.
(Photo: Friso Gentsch/dpa)
Both clubs, who met this time in Bielefeld for a so-called relegation cracker, want to stay in. But between Arminia and Hertha there was very little at first. Rather, it could be seen why both clubs have been hanging in there for so long. Even under interim coach Marco Kostmann, Bielefeld appears without any football idea, while the Berliners play Felix Magath football: everyone is running, albeit not very coordinated.
One of the few useful runs of this poor game then brought Lucas Tousart in front of the Bielefeld goal – after a corner, Hertha’s Frenchman scored the 1-0 with a header. When Berlin’s relegation had almost materialized, Tousart felt the whole spectrum of football: This time the Berliner himself came too late, Joakim Nilsson headed in and botched Felix Magath’s team to remain in the league early.
VfB Stuttgart – VfL Wolfsburg 1: 1 (0: 1), Goals: 0: 1 Brooks (13th), 1: 1 Führich (89th)
Brought Stuttgart a point shortly before the end: Chris Führich.
(Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
It was an early relegation final for VfB Stuttgart, and what’s best not to happen in finals? Right, an early deficit. It was made easy for Wolfsburg after 13 minutes: A standard situation, free header from Anthony Brooks, it was that easy. Stuttgart then played as if blocked, actually until shortly before the final whistle – until Chris Führich used the first clear chance to equalize late . Stuttgart’s starting position two games before the end: Direct relegation is theoretically still possible (four points behind Hertha), in terms of relegation VfB is two points ahead of Bielefeld.
TSG Hoffenheim – SC Freiburg 3: 4 (1: 1), Goals: 0: 1 Sallai (23rd), 1: 1 Kramaric (32nd), 2: 1 Stiller (49th), 2: 2 Günter (50th), 2: 3 Höler (70th), 2: 4 Jeong (73′), 3-4 Rudy (84′)
Seven goals in 90 minutes: Freiburg meets Lucas Höler (right) to make it 3-2 for SC.
(Photo: Thomas Frey/Imago)
The last few weeks have not been easy for the supporters of TSG Hoffenheim. After the 25th match day, Sebastian Hoeneß’s team was fourth and squinted at a start in the premier class – then followed six games without a win and the descent to eighth place; even the Europa League participation is in danger. Hoffenheim had apparently decided against SC Freiburg to depict the highs and lows of their own season in 90 minutes as an example.
Unfazed by the deficit, TSG equalized a little later and even took the lead shortly after half-time – this in turn lasted less than two minutes before Freiburg equalized and then pulled away with a double to make it 4-2. Game decided – one might think. But TSG didn’t give up, scored again and had more chances. In injury time, SC goalkeeper Mark Flekken held on to Freiburg’s victory with a brilliant save. For Hoffenheim, at the end of a highly entertaining game, there is the next defeat and little hope left for international business. The people of Breisgau climb to fourth place in the Champions League at least until the Leipzig game on Monday.
FC Augsburg – 1. FC Cologne 1: 4 (0: 2), Goals: 0: 1 Thielmann (12th), 0: 2 Uth (15th), 0: 3 Modeste (63rd penalty), 1: 3 Niederlechner (73rd), 1: 4 Modeste (77th)
End of the game: Jeffrey Gouweleeuw (left) fouled Anthony Modeste in the penalty area. The top scorer from Cologne then scored to make it 4-1
(Photo: MIS/Imago)
Most recently, three wins in a row showed that Cologne are serious about their European Cup ambitions. In line with this, Union Berlin, as a direct competitor, did not get beyond a 1-1 draw against Greuther Fürth on Friday evening. After a shaky first ten minutes, everything went according to plan against FC Augsburg: At the end of a counterattack, Jan Thielmann gave his team the lead. Just three minutes later, Augsburg released Mark Uth completely after a long throw-in in the penalty area – 2:0.
Following this quick double strike, both teams created chances to score without using any of them. After about an hour, Anthony Modeste invited to dance in the FCA penalty area, which Jeffrey Gouweleeuw ended with a foul. Cologne’s top scorer converted the penalty himself. Florian Niederlechner reduced the lead to 1:3 before Modeste scored twice and got the final result. Despite the defeat, Augsburg have a six-point lead over the relegation place with two games to go. Cologne passes Union in the table.