LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Bayer Leverkusen beat Augsburg 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday to postpone leaders Bayern Munich’s expected title win by at least a week.
The still reigning Bundesliga champions are on 67 points, eight behind leaders Bayern with three matches left to play. The Bavarians can seal their 34th league crown with a win at RB Leipzig next week.
Before Saturday’s game Leverkusen fans greeted coach Xabi Alonso, who led their team to an undefeated domestic league and Cup double last season, with loud applause and the unfurling of banners urging him to stay at the club.
The Spaniard, who has a contract to 2026, is a target for several top European teams, including reportedly Real Madrid, and has declined to say if he will be at Leverkusen next season.
Forward Patrik Schick struck in the 13th minute with Leverkusen’s first real chance, drilling home from the edge of the box for his 19th league goal of the season.
Leverkusen had the ball in the net again but Nathan Tella’s header at the far post was ruled offside.
They made amends in first-half stoppage time when Emiliano Buendia curled a shot past goalkeeper Finna Dahmen to make it 2-0 and ensure three points for the hosts.
“It was a better game for us, with better energy and more self-belief,” Alonso told a press conference.
Leverkusen had drawn their previous two league games to lose ground in the title race with Bayern.
“We were solid and focused and I’m satisfied with this game. We’ll use this feeling for the next three games,” Alonso added.
Leverkusen beat Augsburg to postpone Bayern’s title celebrations
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Leverkusen beat Augsburg to postpone Bayern’s title celebrations
- The still reigning Bundesliga champions are on 67 points, eight behind leaders Bayern
- The Bavarians can seal their 34th league crown with a win at RB Leipzig next week
Manchester City narrow gap in table with dominant win over Sunderland
- Phil Foden also scored his fifth goal in three games
- Sunderland are provisionally seventh on 23 points
MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s center backs Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol struck less than four minutes apart in the first half in a 3-0 thrashing of Sunderland that tightened the Premier League title race and kept the pressure firmly on leaders Arsenal.
Phil Foden also scored — his fifth goal in three games — as second-placed City seized the opportunity from Arsenal’s 2-1 loss at Aston Villa earlier in the day, to climb within two points of the leaders with 31 points after 15 games. Sunderland are provisionally seventh on 23 points.
While Pep Guardiola’s men dominated possession, neither side really threatened in the first half before Dias ended the deadlock in the 31st minute with a rocket from 30 yards out that took a slight deflection off Dan Ballard. Less than four minutes later, Foden whipped in a cross that Gvardiol leapt to head home.
Foden netted his own in the 65th minute with a goal that was all about Rayan Cherki’s jaw-dropping rabona assist, a chip that Foden needed only to head home and then had the England midfielder shaking his head in disbelief at Cherki’s skill.
Sunderland ended the game with 10 men after Luke O’Nien was shown a red card for a bad foul deep in added time.
