Bayern's Dayot Upamecano, left, vies for the ball with Leverkusen's Amine Adli during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
The Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) - Bayer Leverkusen exposed Bayern Munich's defensive frailties but was unable to get more than a 1-1 draw from their Bundesliga encounter on Saturday, when Hertha Berlin took another step toward relegation.
Bayern dropped points for the second time in four league games and posed more questions than answers ahead of its Champions League round of 16 second leg against Salzburg on Wednesday. Bayern only drew the first leg 1-1.
Bayern 'keeper Sven Ulreich prevented worse against Leverkusen, though his team made the better start.
Niklas Süle, whose performances had been coming under extra scrutiny since his announced end-of-season switch to Borussia Dortmund, fired Bayern ahead in the 18th minute after Leverkusen failed to properly clear a corner.
Leverkusen equalized in the 36th when Bayern captain Thomas Müller directed Kerem Demirbay's harmless-looking cross past his own goalkeeper.
Hertha's inexorable slide toward relegation continued with a 4-1 loss at home to Eintracht Frankfurt '“ a team that had lost its last three games.
Hertha had been hoping to challenge for European qualification ever since billionaire Lars Windhorst first invested in the club in 2019, but Tayfun Korkut's team has yet to win a game this year. Hertha occupies the Bundesliga relegation playoff place with nine rounds remaining.
Leipzig scored late to draw with Freiburg 1-1, Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0, and Bochum enjoyed a 2-1 win over last-placed Greuther Fürth.
Stuttgart hosted Borussia Mönchengladbach late.
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Bayern's Leroy Sane runs with the ball away from Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah and Exequiel Palacios, right, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
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Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby, center, heads the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
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Leverkusen, left, and Bayern players stand on the pitch for a moment of silence in support of the Ukrainian people before the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
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Bayern's Robert Lewandowski, left, vies for the ball with Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
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Bayern's Niklas Suele celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
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Bayern's Robert Lewandowski, wearing an armband in the Ukrainian flag colors, applauds the fans at the end of the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (AP Photo/Andreas Schaad)
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Hertha's head coach Tayfun Korkut applauds during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Soeren Stache/dpa via AP)
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Bochum's Armel Bella Kotchap, right, and Fuerth's Branimir Hrgota, left, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and SpVgg Greuther Fuerth in Bochum, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)
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Berlin's Genki Haraguchi, left, and Wolfsburg's Xaver Schlager, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP)
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Bochum's Maxim Leitsch, right, and Fuerth's Jamie Leweling, center, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and SpVgg Greuther Fuerth in Bochum, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)
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Wolfsburg's Max Kruse pionts as he wears a jersey with a peace sign during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP)
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'Bochum Stands With Ukraine' is written on a poster of a fan prior to the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and SpVgg Greuther Fuerth in Bochum, Germany, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)
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