Preliminary decision in the fight for the shell? FC Bayern Munich is moving closer to its 34th championship title – because pursuer Bayer Leverkusen has a hard time clashing at the end of the 30th Bundesliga game day.
At the promoted FC St. Pauli, the defending champion did not get beyond a 1: 1 (1-0) on Sunday evening after a weak performance – and now already has eight points behind the Munich.
Patrik Schick brought Bayer in the lead in a balanced first half (32nd). With his goal, St. Paulis Carlo Boukhalfa (78th) ensured that Bayer was finally playing his minimum chance of a title in a complicated season after the double win.
The Leverkuseners have now survived impressive 32 away games in a row, but have to slowly get used to the thought of a season without title. The starting eleven comeback by Magic foot Florian Wirtz also did not change the setback. Meanwhile, St. Pauli missed to finally get rid of all relegation worries.
At the end of a surprisingly sunny Easter Sunday in Hamburg, the home fans were in a good mood in the Millerntorstadion – and they heated Bavarian a lot from the start. The Hamburgers on the lawn were infected by the first -class atmosphere and tore the game in the absence of their injured captain Jackson Irvine – the first chance belonged to St. Pauli’s outside player Manoli Saliakas (6th).
St. Pauli can almost plan with relegation
Bayer coach Xabi Alonso had recently caused a little unrest in the actually so relaxed Leverkusen environment with vague statements about his future. And at the beginning, the evening on St. Pauli was quite uninhibited: Because the strong promoted promoted climber annoyed and Jeremie Frimpong missed the Leverkusen leadership from a good position (14th).
After all: In the middle of the first half, Alonso’s team took over the game control; And it was rewarded in the person of Patrik Schick. After a fine free kick flank by Alejandro Grimaldo, the Czech headed unexpectedly to the lead – already the 18th goal of Schick, whose team preserved the narrow lead until the break.
St. Pauli, who is slowly planning with another season in the Oberhaus thanks to the Saturday results of the basement teams, remained in the game at the beginning of the second half. Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky wiped the ball next to the goal (61st) after a dangerous Hamburg free kick – Leverkusen no longer took offensive in this phase.
In the 74th minute, Morgan Guilavogui was not rightly given due to handball. Shortly afterwards, Boukhalfa dusted off.