Pro Sports

Bayern's Bundesliga rivals Leipzig, Leverkusen both lose

Posted January 23, 2021 6:00 am

By CIARÃN FAHEY

Barreiro Martins from Mainz celebrates after scoring his side third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and RB Leipzig in Mainz, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Hasan Bratic/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) - Bayern Munich's closest challengers, Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen, both lost in the Bundesliga on Saturday to give the eight-time defending champions a chance to move seven points clear at the top.

Second-place Leipzig lost 3-2 at relegation-threatened Mainz and third-place Leverkusen was beaten 1-0 at home to Wolfsburg.

Bayern visits last-place Schalke on Sunday.

'œIn principle we don't need to talk about Bayern if we're losing games,'ť Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann said of his team's weakened challenge after just one win in four matches. 'œIt's about winning the games yourself.'ť

American midfielder Tyler Adams got his team off to a great start with a goal in the 15th minute, but Moussa NiakhatÃ© scored twice for Mainz, either side of Marcel Halstenberg's 30th-minute strike for the visitors.

New signing Danny da Costa set up Leandro Barreiro for Mainz's winner in the 50th.

'œIt's a difficult starting point but the path is clear,'ť said Mainz coach Bo Svensson, whose team remains second last.

Midfielder Ridle Baku's 35th-minute header was enough for Wolfsburg.

Leverkusen made a good start but Nadiem Amiri and Lucas Alario missed early chances, with Alario striking the post before Wolfsburg gradually settled.

Leverkusen maintained its pressure but the defense took a break and left Baku to head in Renato Steffen's cross against the run of play.

Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz reacted at the break by bringing on former Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah for his Bundesliga debut, but Wolfsburg saw out the win.

'œWe didn't have the strength and freshness at the end,'ť Bosz said.

NEW BLOW FOR HERTHA

Hertha Berlin fans protested against the club's management before the team slumped to another defeat, 4-1 at home to Werder Bremen.

It leaves the ambitious club just two points above Cologne in the relegation zone. Cologne visits Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Hertha had been expected to challenge for European qualification following Lars Windhorst's investment of 374 million euros ($450 million) since June 2019. Only Bayern and Dortmund have spent more on transfers since.

Most of the around 250 fans outside the Olympiastadion called on long-time Hertha general manager Michael Preetz to resign. Hertha president Werner Gegenbauer was also a target, while coach Bruno Labbadia was largely spared criticism as the fans felt he had inherited the problems at the club.

Labbadia's team showed no lack of commitment against Bremen, but fell behind to a penalty from former Hertha striker Davie Selke in the 10th minute.

Matheus Cunha had a chance to equalize with a penalty at the other end in the 21st, but Jiri Pavlenka saved the Brazilian's effort. Ã–mer Toprak scored again for Bremen before Jhon Cordoba pulled one back before the break.

Leonardo Bittencourt made it 3-1 against the run of play early in the second half and American Josh Sargent sealed the efficient visitors' win with a fine strike in the 77th.

JOVIC SMILING AGAIN

Luka Jovic scored his third goal in as many substitute appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt since returning from Real Madrid to seal a 5-1 win at Arminia Bielefeld.

'œWhen you see who we can bring off the bench, that's real quality,'ť Frankfurt defender Martin Hinteregger said. Jovic only managed two goals in 21 league appearances for Madrid after joining from Frankfurt for a reported 60 million euros in 2019.

Augsburg goalkeeper Rafa Gikiewicz saved a penalty to secure a 2-1 win over his former team Union Berlin. Gikiewicz denied Marcus Ingvartsen in the 56th, then produced a fine save to also thwart Taiwo Awoniyi.

Florian Niederlechner, who conceded the spot kick, had already scored twice for the home side.

Freiburg beat Stuttgart 2-1.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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CiarÃ¡n Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP

Leverkusen's Leon Bailey, left, and Wolfsburg's Renato Steffen, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Ina Fassbender/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Leverkusen's Leon Bailey, left, and Wolfsburg's Paulo Otavio, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Ina Fassbender/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Wolfsburg's Radle Baku, left, scores the opening goal against Leverkusen's goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Ina Fassbender/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Freiburg's Woo-yeong Jeong, center, scores his side second goal against Stuttgart's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, left, and Stuttgart's Marc Oliver Kempf, right, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and VfB Stuttgart in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Stuttgart's Waldemar Anton, left, and Freiburg's Ermedin Demirovic head for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and VfB Stuttgart in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Ina Fassbender/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Augsburg's Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, left, and Berlin's Marcus Ingvartsen challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Bremen's Joshua Sargent, center, celebrates with Romano Schmid and Theodor Gebre Selassie, left, during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen at Olymbiastadion, Berlin, Saturday Jan. 23, 2021. (Soeren Stache/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Hertha's Maximilian Mittelstadt, left, and Bremen's Theodor Gebre Selassie battle for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen at Olymbiastadion, Berlin, Saturday Jan. 23, 2021. (Annegret Hilse/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Hertha coach Bruno Labbadia, left, looks on as Hertha's Vladimir Darida and Bremen's Marco Friedl, right, battle for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen at Olymbiastadion, Berlin, Saturday Jan. 23, 2021. (Soeren Stache/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Hertha's Matteo Guendouzi, left, and Lucas Tousart challenges Joshua Sargent of Bremen during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen at Olymbiastadion, Berlin, Saturday Jan. 23, 2021. (Soeren Stache/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

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