With goals from Robert Andrich and Patrik Schick late in the contest, Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen defeated Hoffenheim 2-1 on Saturday to take a step closer to winning the league.
With seven games remaining in the season, Leverkusen is on 73 points and has not lost in 39 games in all competitions. Second place on 60 points is held by Bayern Munich, who play Borussia Dortmund later on Saturday.
The day after Leverkusen’s coach, Xabi Alonso, declared he would be sticking with the team in spite of interest from big European teams, Maximilian Beier of Hoffenheim broke free and beat goalie Lukas Hradecky from close range in the 33rd minute.
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After the half, the hosts increased their pressure, but Oliver Baumann consistently made saves, most notably a stunning double save in the 76th minute.
In the 87th minute, they struck the crossbar through Borja Iglesias, and only one minute later, Germany international Andrich stabbed in the equaliser. In stoppage time, Schick finished the comeback with a far-post volley.
As a consequence of the outcome, Leverkusen currently own the second-longest winning streak in the annals of Europe’s top five leagues, surpassing Inter Milan’s 38 games in 2004–05 and trailing only Juventus’ 42 games unbeaten in the 2011–12 campaign.
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