Bundesliga title beckons for Bayern after holding defending champ Leverkusen scoreless
Bayern's Harry Kane reacts injured during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. Credit: AP/Marius Becker
BERLIN — Bayern Munich might have won the Bundesliga with a draw.
Bayer Leverkusen did everything but score as Bayern held on for a 0-0 draw that kept it eight points clear at the top of the German league on Saturday.
Bayern was pegged back for the whole game but Leverkusen — with center forwards Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface watching from the substitutes’ bench — failed to score for the second consecutive game.
“We're satisfied with the result. Let's just say that,” Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said after a busy game.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso sent Schick on only in the second minute of stoppage time, after star player Florian Wirtz went agonizingly close to winning the match when he shot just wide of the left post after Neuer saved Amine Adli’s effort.
Bayern failed to manage a single shot on target for the whole game. It's only the second time on record, according to statistician Opta, which said the other time was against Wolfsburg in May 2008.
Leverkusen, the defending champion, twice hit the crossbar in the first half.
Bochum's Tim Oermann, left, and Dortmund's Jamie Gittens, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund in Bochum, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. Credit: AP/David Inderlied
It was the fifth time Alonso, a former Bayern player, faced his former team as a coach in the Bundesliga and the fifth time he remained unbeaten. His team also knocked Bayern out of the German Cup earlier this season.
“It could be better,” Alonso said, "but there are still 12 games in the Bundesliga.”
Dortmund humiliated
Georgios Masouras scored twice in two minutes for bottom club Bochum to upset Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in their derby.
Masouras stunned the visitor with his first goal for Bochum since his winter switch from Olympiakos, then capitalized almost straight away on a huge error from Dortmund defender Niklas Süle to grab his second in the first half.
Bochum's Georgios Masouras celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund in Bochum, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. Credit: AP/David Inderlied
Süle, who made his first start since December after recovering from an ankle injury, sent a back pass straight into Masouras’ path for the Greek forward to fire the ball past Gregor Kobel in the Dortmund goal.
Bochum’s win lifted the team off the bottom till Sunday at least, pending fellow struggler Holstein Kiel’s visit to Eintracht Frankfurt.
It was the second defeat in as many Bundesliga games for Dortmund under new coach Niko Kovać. Dortmund stayed 11th and risked falling further behind in its quest for Champions League qualification.
Bochum had a host of injuries with four important players including first-choice goalkeeper all out.
Stuttgart rues missed chance
Stuttgart failed to capitalize on Leipzig’s draw in Augsburg the night before as it lost at home to Wolfsburg 2-1 despite substitute Nick Woltemade’s wonderful opener in the 72nd minute.
Leipzig remained fourth, while Stuttgart dropped two points off the last place for Champions League qualification.
Borussia Mönchengladbach won at Union Berlin 2-1, and Freiburg won at St. Pauli 1-0 thanks to a late own goal from Philipp Treu.
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AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth contributed from Leverkusen.
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