German Bundesliga

Conference with Bayer and Bayern from 3.30 p.m. LIVE

Bayern's disgraceful performance and hanging heads against Heidenheim. Leverkusen remain in command.(Bild: APA/AFP/Thomas KIENZLE, APA/Tobias SCHWARZ)

Bayer Leverkusen are just one win away from their first title in the German Bundesliga. Xabi Alonso's side won 1:0 (1:0) at Union Berlin on Saturday, while runners-up Bayern Munich lost 3:2 at FC Heidenheim after leading 2:0 at the break. Leverkusen have a 16-point lead with six rounds to go and can secure the title at home to Werder Bremen next Sunday.

Leverkusen's "unbeatable" team extended their super streak and remained unbeaten in their 41st competitive match of the season. The Werkself did not look like champions, but Florian Wirtz scored in stoppage time of the first half (45.+8) with a penalty that Christopher Trimmel (until 63) had conceded. Leverkusen played in superior numbers for a long time after Union's Robin Gosens was sent off (45.+3).

With the win in Köpenick, the Werkself equaled a Bundesliga record, as no team has ever gone more than 28 consecutive games undefeated in a single season. These streaks were previously achieved by Bayern in 2013/14 under coach Pep Guardiola and Borussia Dortmund in 2011/12 under Jürgen Klopp.

Bayern's embarrassing performance and hanging heads against Heidenheim. Leverkusen remain confident.(Bild: APA/AFP/Thomas KIENZLE, APA/Tobias SCHWARZ)

While Leverkusen can wallow in anticipation, FC Bayern, who are in a serious crisis, have an embarrassment to deal with ahead of their Champions League clash with FC Arsenal. Harry Kane (38') and Serge Gnabry (45') gave the favourites the lead, but Kevin Sessa (50') and double goalscorer Tim Kleindienst (51', 79') turned the game in the hosts' favour and caused a sensation.

Müller played his 700th Bayern match
"Dare everything today - beat Bayern" was written on a large banner in front of the Heidenheim fan block. But the Munich side (with Konrad Laimer) were not impressed at first. Bayern's lead through Kane was therefore deserved. Via Thomas Müller, who played his 700th competitive game for Munich and is only ahead of goalkeeping icon Sepp Maier (709), and Gnabry, the ball landed with the English star striker, who scored his 32nd league goal of the season. Gnabry increased the lead to 2:0 with a header shortly before the break.

Shortly after the break, however, the Munich defense was caught off guard twice in the space of a minute and a half. And it got even worse. Eleven minutes before the end, Kleindienst scored again and the Bayern defense did not look good once more.

FSV Mainz (with Philipp Mwene until 86) and 1. FC Köln (with Florian Kainz and Dejan Ljubicic) celebrated important victories in the two direct duels between the relegation candidates. Mainz won 4:0 against bottom club Darmstadt (with Mathias Honsak and Christoph Klarer, Emir Karic from 75) and are now just three points behind 15th place, because VfL Bochum (with Kevin Stöger until 77) squandered a 1:0 lead in Cologne and lost 2:1.

Cologne double strike in stoppage time
Cologne looked to be on their way to the second division before embarking on a crazy final spurt with two goals in stoppage time, dragging Bochum deeper into the relegation battle. Steffen Tigges (91st) and Luca Waldschmidt (92nd) secured a frenetically celebrated victory in front of 50,000 spectators that was no longer thought possible. It was Cologne's first win since the beginning of February.

As a result, Bochum (26), Mainz (23) and Cologne (22) moved closer together. Darmstadt are nine points behind the relegation place occupied by Mainz and are now on the brink of relegation.