by An 84th-minute equalizer from Wolfsburg’s Patrick Wimmer helped his side clinch a point at home in a 1-1 draw against Union Berlin on Sunday.
Despite Wolfsburg getting the better of a less than inspiring encounter, a 72nd-minute penalty from former Celtic full-back Josip Juranovic put the Union on their way to victory until Wimmer’s late goal.
Union striker Sven Michel said his “exhausted” team have “invested a lot” due to their Europa League run alongside their league efforts and “can be satisfied with one point”.
Freiburg’s win earlier on Sunday meant that Union, who have been in the top four for much of the season, had slipped to fifth before kick-off.
The home team got the better of a stern opening, carving out a handful of half-chances against the stubborn Union defense.
Wolfsburg midfielder Mattias Svanberg hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 17th minute. Omar Marmoush should have given the home side the lead in a one-on-one with Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow, but the Egyptian winger fired wide.
The two players dueled again early in the second half, with Ronnow diving to avoid Marmoush’s low header.
In a rare Union foray, Josuha Guilavogui struck Aissa Laidouni’s foot in the box, handing the visitors a penalty kick.
Juranovic sent the ball straight up the middle for his first league goal in Union colours.
Union seemed to have secured another underdog win, but Wimmer’s low effort with six minutes to go leveled the score.
Guilavogui said that “we wanted to pick up three points and put more pressure on the top six. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
– Freiburg deepens Hoffenheim’s woes –
Earlier on Sunday, Freiburg’s Japanese winger Ritsu Doan scored late to secure a 2-1 home win over under-pressure Hoffenheim.
Trying to stay the course for their first test of Champions League football, Freiburg scored early through Maximilian Eggestein, who pounced on a loose ball after a deflected shot from Vincenzo Grifo.
Hoffenheim hit back early in the second half thanks to a low shot from midfielder Angelo Stiller.
Hoffenheim defender Ozan Kabak received a second yellow card with six minutes remaining for throwing the ball away, giving Freiburg the late lead.
Doan seized the initiative and scored in the 89th minute, slotting the ball into the corner of the net to give the hosts a valuable win.
Frustrated Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann called the red card the “turning point”, telling Sky that “we just can’t finish a game like this with 10 men.”
Hoffenheim’s defeat leaves them alone at the bottom of the table with 19 points and in danger of relegation for the first time since their promotion in 2008.
Bayer Leverkusen kept up their unlikely push for European football, beating Werder Bremen 3-2 with goals from Mitchel Bakker, Jeremie Frimpong and Adam Hlozek.
Leverkusen were hit hard before kick-off when star midfielder Florian Wirtz and striker Patrik Schick were ruled out with fatigue and injury respectively.
Bremen’s Marvin Ducksch opened the scoring midway through the first half, but Leverkusen equalized just four minutes later through Bakker.
The visitors hammered Bremen on the break 10 minutes into the second half, and Dutch defender Frimpong finished a play down the field to give his team the lead.
Hlozek headed in another counter-attack to make it 3-1 with seven minutes remaining, but a late Niclas Fuellkrug penalty gave the home team hope of a point.
Bremen kept pressing, but Leverkusen held on and claimed their fourth win in the last five games.
dwi/pb/mw
