Despite a completely energy -free appearance, Bayer Leverkusen averted an unnecessary loss of points late and maintained the distance to FC Bayern. The defending champion of coach Xabi Alonso won 1-0 (0-0) at 1. FC Heidenheim on the 28th Bundesliga matchday and, thanks to a last minute goal by Emiliano Buendia, is still six points behind the Munich.
Joker Buendia had the weak workself cheered without star player Florian Wirtz in the first minute of stoppage time. With six points behind and the much poorer goal difference to the league leader, the chances of a successful title repetition are still low. After the 3-1 at FC Augsburg on Friday evening, the Munich team would have to patch in at least three of the six games so that the Werkself – with their own perfect yield – can still pass by.
Heidenheim could not reward himself with an important point for the relegation battle in front of 15,000 spectators and lost for the first time since the beginning of March. The long-term coach Frank Schmidt team currently occupies relegation rank 16 in front of VfL Bochum and Holstein Kiel.
Anyone who had expected a clear defiant reaction after the Desolate 1: 2 in the DFB Cup at Arminia Bielefeld at last year's Double winner saw themselves deceived on the Schlossberg in wonderful spring weather. Leverkusen did not look like a greedy Bayern persecutor, but rather like a team that has become aware that the stations of the remaining season are no longer the Olympic Stadium in Berlin and San Siro in Milan-but Heidenheim, Freiburg and Mainz.
The powerful host gave the tone at the beginning. And benefited from repeated messengers from Bayer leadership player Granit Xhaka. After eleven minutes, Adrian Beck would have had to take the lead for Heidenheim after Marvin Pieringer had lost the ball to the Swiss Xhaka. But Beck just missed past the long corner. Pieringer, Beck and Frans Krätzig got plenty of space for offensive campaigns in the first half hour.
The Werkelf survived the most difficult situation after almost half an hour: After a corner, Xhaka hit the ball, which is why defender Benedikt Gimber came from an acute angle – Gimber's attempt only hit the bottom edge of the latte, then on the inner post and from there again from the gate. Pieringer's Heber (32nd), on the other hand, clearly went over the goal.
The symbol Victor Boniface was a symbol. The Nigerian rotated into the first team for his rival Patrik Schick, but could not do anything against the Heidenheim defensive trio around Gimber. After 67 minutes and zero goal shots, Alonso redeemed his striker to the game without a bond. But even with Schick, who came to a end with a header (77th), things didn't really go better. When everyone seemed to have been able to have come to a tie, the lucky winning goal was only achieved the happy win after 77 minutes.
