Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim win as Hertha Berlin continue superb form under Bruno Labbadia
Saturday 30 May 2020 19:59, UK
Schalke's winless Bundesliga run was extended to 11 games as they were beaten 1-0 by strugglers Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Leonardo Bittencourt grabbed a potentially vital winner for Bremen in the 32nd minute when he unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner and kept the visitors' hopes of staving off relegation alive.
Schalke missed two gilt-edged chances in the second half as Werder goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka denied Benito Raman with a superb reflex save before Michael Gregoritsch volleyed over the bar. The loss leaves Schalke in 10th on 37 points and extends poor run of recent form.
For Bremen, it leaves them in 17th place on 25 points from 28 games, two points behind 16th-placed Fortuna Duesseldorf, who were thrashed 5-0 at Bayern Munich later on Saturday.
Robert Lewandowski's double, a Benjamin Pavard header, Alphonso Davies' cool finish and an own goal from Mathias Joergensen moved Hans Flick's side 10 points clear at the top, and now within three wins of an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada slotted in an 85th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory at Wolfsburg, lifting them five points away from the relegation zone with five games left in the season.
Frankfurt, without a win in their previous six games, struck against the run of play when Andre Silva was brought down in the box and then converted the 27th-minute penalty himself.
Wolfsburg twice went close to an equaliser before the break but got their deserved goal 13 minutes after the break as Kevin Mbabu's glanced a header home from Maximilian Arnold's eighth assist of the season.
Frankfurt almost scored again in the 74th minute, but Mijat Gacinovic's point-blank effort was blocked by keeper Koen Casteels.
Japan international Kamada scored the winner from a Bas Dost lay-off, netting his second goal in two games. Frankfurt substitute Lucas Torro was then sent off for two yellow cards within three minutes in stoppage time.
Javairo Dilrosun and Krzysztof Piatek each scored as Hertha Berlin continued their unbeaten run under new coach Bruno Labbadia and climbed to ninth in the Bundesliga table after beating FC Augsburg 2-0 at an empty Olympic Stadium.
Dilrosun scored midway through the first half and Piatek added a second in stoppage time at the end of the game to see Hertha pick up a 10th point out of a possible 12 since the resumption of the German league. Defeat leaves Augsburg precariously placed just four points above the relegation places.
Hoffenheim substitute Ihlas Bebou scored with almost his first touch as they beat Bundesliga strugglers Mainz 1-0 to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football next season.
Bebou came on in the 38th minute for the injured Jacob Bruun Larsen and slotted home four minutes later against the run of play after collecting Diadie Samassekou's ball over the top of the Mainz midfield.
Hoffenheim also had a first-half penalty when Christoph Baumgartner was brought down in the Mainz box, but goalkeeper Florian Mueller got down well to deny Steven Zuber from the spot.
Mainz also put the ball in the back of the net in the 60th minute, but Taiwo Awoniyi's effort was ruled out after team-mate Karim Onisiwo was adjudged to have blocked off Hoffenheim 'keeper Oliver Baumann.
Victory drew Hoffenheim level on 42 points with Wolfsburg, but kept them seventh in the Bundesliga on goal difference, while Mainz stayed in 15th place, a point above the bottom three, after their fifth game in a row without victory.
