Bayer Leverkusen is now just one step away from making history. Xabi Alonso’s men won by a narrow margin at Union Berlin (0-1) and could be Bundesliga champions, for the first time in the club’s 120 years, the next day thanks to Bayern Munich’s failure on the field of Heidenheim (3-2).
The Aspirin team, which leads its pursuer by 16 points with 18 left to play, would sing the triumph the following Sunday if it beats Werder Bremen at home. The title could come sooner if the Bavarians win against Cologne on Saturday. In any case, Bayer will secure the title if they win one of the six remaining games.
Bayer did not need to play the best game to take the three points against the team from the German capital. The locals appealed to good defensive order to stop the offensive torrent of the visitors. A strategy that worked, with hardly any chances conceded, until just before half-time Union Berlin suffered the perfect storm.
Gosens saw the second yellow card and therefore the red in the 47th minute after bringing down Tella. In the next action the ball went to the post after a shot by Hincapié and then Kossounou put the ball into the net. At first, the referee disallowed the goal for offside. After reviewing the play, the VAR detected a handball from Trimmel before the ball hit the woodwork. Penalty for Leverkusen and goal from eleven meters by Florian Wirtz.
Despite the disadvantage, Union Berlin did not lose face after the restart. He stayed in the game until the end despite receiving more chances. Borja Iglesias, Adli and Tella were able to score, with the Berliners bailing out water and without seeing the opponent’s goal. But in the final minutes, with nothing to lose, Nenad Bjelica’s men put a Leverkusen team in trouble, and with the final whistle they took an almost definitive step towards glory.
