BERLIN: Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen came from two goals down to snatch a 4-3 win at VfB Stuttgart with two late goals on Sunday and snap a three-game losing run in all competitions as they cut Bayern Munich’s lead atop the Bundesliga to six points.

Patrik Schick headed the winner deep into second-half stoppage time to give the visitors the points after they had drawn level minutes earlier courtesy of Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller’s 88th-minute own goal.

The result lifted Leverkusen to 56 points in second place, cutting Bayern’s lead after their 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday as the teams went into the international break.

Ermedin Demirovic put Stuttgart ahead in the 15th minute before the unmarked Nick Woltemade slotted home to complete a quick break and make it 2-0 three minutes after halftime.

Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong cut the deficit in the 56th after Stuttgart repeatedly failed to clear the ball.

However, the hosts restored their two-goal lead in the 62nd minute when goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved a Demirovic shot but the ball bounced off Granit Xhaka for an own goal.

Six minutes later it was Leverkusen’s turn to score with Piero Hincapie drilling in a shot to give them renewed hope.

Amine Adli came agonisingly close to an equaliser in the 82nd but his effort just missed before Stiller’s own goal.

Schick completed Lever­kusen’s pulsating late comeback in stoppage time to keep them firmly in the title race.

Meanwhile, strikes from Rasmus Kristensen, Jean Matteo Bahova and Michy Batshuayi helped Eintracht Frankfurt beat Bochum 3-1, boosting their chances of a first top-four finish in the Champions League era.

The victory kept Frankfurt fourth, three points ahead of RB Leipzig.

Elsewhere, Heidenheim boosted their slim chances of avoiding the drop with a 3-1 home win over Holstein Kiel, leapfrogging their opponents to move off the bottom of the table.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2025