Bayern Munich’s recent slump has opened the door to a wider and longer-lasting Bundesliga title fight.
Its title rivals clearly were uncomfortable with the breeze coming into the room.
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Bayer Leverkusen lost at Union Berlin on Friday to kick off the weekend, and Borussia Dortmund, Wolfsburg, RB Leipzig, and Borussia Monchengladbach all dropped points Saturday to give Bayern the chance to grow its table lead to four points on Sunday versus Freiburg.
Wolfsburg 2-2 RB Leipzig
Leipzig struck in the fourth minute through Nordi Mukiele but it was far from a cakewalk, as Yannick Gerhardt set up goals for Wout Weghorst and Renasto Steffen to give Wolfsburg a 2-1 halftime lead.
Willi Orban scored after the break to give Leipzig a share of the points, but Leipzig could only climb within a point of Bayern. Wolfsburg sits sixth, six points back of Leipzig.
USMNT center back John Brooks went the distance for Wolfsburg, but national teammate Tyler Adams was an unused sub for the visitors.
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Mainz
Dortmund had a goal pulled back by VAR and saw Marco Reus’ late shot hit the frame for the hard-luck hosts.
Levin Oztunali put Mainz ahead just after halftime and Dortmund could only manage a Thomas Meunier answer on a day it had 73 percent of the ball and six shots saved by visiting goalkeeper Robin Zentner.
A throat infection cost USMNT phenom Giovanni Reyna the chance to play for BVB in the draw, which leaves the hosts four points back of leaders Bayern.
Quite a hit from Oztunali.
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Mainz take the lead against Dortmund! 💥 pic.twitter.com/JZyfMkQljn
Stuttgart 2-2 Borussia Monchengladbach
American boss Pellegrino Matarazzo’s impressive first Bundesliga continued with a pair of equalizers from his newly-promoted side against would-be title fighters.
Lars Stindl scored and set up Denis Zakaria for a goal as Marco Rose’s men held 1-0 and 2-1 leads at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Nicolas Gonzalez scored Stuttgart’s first equalizer before the hour mark and Silas Wamangituka converted a stoppage-time penalty to paint an extremely-deserved point for the home team.
Stuttgart is now 10th, a point back of seventh-place Gladbach.
Bundesliga Week 16
Union Berlin 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Werder Bremen 2-2 Augsburg
Koln 0-0 Hertha Berlin
Hoffenheim 0-0 Arminia
Bayern Munich v Freiburg — 9:30 am ET Sunday
Eintracht Frankfurt v Schalke — Noon ET Sunday
