Buendia's late goal gives subdued Leverkusen a win in its Bundesliga title chase
Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann vainly tries to stop the ball fro Leipzig to score, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)
Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen celebrates after scoring, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and TSG 1899, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Elisa Schu/dpa via AP)
Freiburg's Junior Adamu, left, and Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini vie for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund, at the Europa-Park Stadium in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Dortmund's Carney Chukwuemeka celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund, at the Europa-Park Stadium in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
Heidenheim's Jan Schöppner, left, challenges Leverkusen's Nathan Tella during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Emiliano Buendia (3rd from left) celebrates scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Emiliano Buendia (3rd from left) celebrates scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann vainly tries to stop the ball fro Leipzig to score, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)
Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen celebrates after scoring, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and TSG 1899, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Elisa Schu/dpa via AP)
Freiburg's Junior Adamu, left, and Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini vie for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund, at the Europa-Park Stadium in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Dortmund's Carney Chukwuemeka celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund, at the Europa-Park Stadium in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
Heidenheim's Jan Schöppner, left, challenges Leverkusen's Nathan Tella during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Emiliano Buendia (3rd from left) celebrates scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, at the Voith-Arena in Heidenheim, Germany, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)
HEIDENHEIM, Germany (AP) — Emiliano Buendia's stoppage-time winner against Heidenheim boosted Bayer Leverkusen's faint hopes of defending the Bundesliga title on Saturday.
Four days after a shock German Cup semifinal loss to third-division Arminia Bielefeld, Leverkusen created few meaningful chances until substitute Buendia curled a shot from outside the penalty area in off the post in the 1-0 win.
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Leverkusen restored a six-point gap to league leader Bayern Munich, which beat Augsburg 3-1 on Friday. Six games remain.
Last-minute goals were a headline feature of Leverkusen's Bundesliga-winning campaign last season, but a team once viewed as near unbeatable was largely second best to 16th-placed Heidenheim. At times, Leverkusen seemed headed for what would have been a fifth loss in seven games across competitions.
Chukwuemeka ends long wait for a goal
Carney Chukwuemeka got his first start and first goal since joining Borussia Dortmund on loan from Chelsea as Freiburg was beaten 4-1.
After Karim Adeyemi's goal gave Dortmund the lead, Chukwuemeka hit a shot which took a deflection off a defender and looped over the goalkeeper.
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After injuries disrupted Chukwuemeka's development at Chelsea, the goal was his first in any competition for over a year.
Serhou Guirassy and Jamie Gittens also scored in what was one of Dortmund's most commanding performances since Niko Kovac took over as coach just over two months ago.
Dortmund is up to eighth in the Bundesliga standings — one place behind Freiburg and four points off the Champions League places — ahead of its Champions League quarterfinal with Barcelona on Wednesday.
New Leipzig coach gets a win
After a German Cup semifinal loss in his first game, Zsolt Low got his first win as the Leipzig coach, 3-1 over Hoffenheim.
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Initially, it seemed Low's Leipzig was heading for another loss when a blunder by goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi allowed Tom Bischof to score the opening goal for Hoffenheim. However, Benjamin Sesko headed Leipzig level then a red card for Hoffenheim defender Leo Ostigard put Leipzig in control.
Ridle Baku gave Leipzig the lead just before halftime and Yussuf Poulsen made it 3-1 late.
Ermedin Demirovic scored a hat trick as Stuttgart swept aside relegation-threatened Bochum 4-0. Mainz hit a setback in its bid to qualify for the Champions League, drawing with last-placed Holstein Kiel 1-1.
Eintracht Frankfurt visits Werder Bremen later Saturday.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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