Leipzig secure Champions League place as Stuttgart boost top-four hopes

BERLIN: RB Leipzig booked their place in next season’s Champions League with a 2-1 victory over St. Pauli on Saturday, while VfB Stuttgart strengthened their push for the final top-four berth with a 3-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in a tense Bundesliga battle for European places.

Leipzig’s win ensured they would finish third with one match still to play. Xaver Schlager put the home side ahead shortly before the interval, turning the ball in from a corner after St. Pauli had failed to make the most of several counter-attacking openings.

Willi Orban then extended Leipzig’s advantage in the second half with a fine header. Abdoulie Ceesay scored late for the visitors, but it was only a consolation as St. Pauli slipped to another defeat.

The result left the Hamburg club second from bottom. St. Pauli had managed only four goals in their previous eight matches, and the loss means their final-day meeting with fellow strugglers VfL Wolfsburg will decide their fate.

Stuttgart recover to beat Leverkusen

Stuttgart stayed in front in the race for the fourth and last Champions League spot after overcoming an early setback to beat Leverkusen 3-1.

Leverkusen went ahead after only 34 seconds when Stuttgart centre-back Ramon Hendriks lost possession near halfway, allowing the visitors a clear route to goal and giving Aleix Garcia a simple finish.

Stuttgart responded quickly. Ermedin Demirovic levelled five minutes later after a well-worked move inside the penalty area. Just before half-time, Demirovic was brought down in the box and Maximilian Mittelstdt converted the resulting chipped penalty to put the hosts in front.

Deniz Undav added the third after the break with a composed finish. Demirovic also had a goal disallowed for offside before Undav sealed the result.

The defeat left Leverkusen in sixth place, three points outside the Champions League positions and behind Stuttgart and Hoffenheim.

Hoffenheim stay level, Augsburg remain in contention

Hoffenheim kept pace with Stuttgart and remained level on points after edging Werder Bremen 1-0. Bremen were reduced to 10 men early in the match when Yukinari Sugawara was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Bazoumana Toure.

Toure went on to score the only goal 20 minutes later, giving Hoffenheim a valuable win in the contest for European qualification.

Elsewhere, Augsburg preserved their hopes of reaching Europe with a 3-1 success against Borussia Moenchengladbach. Michael Gregoritsch scored twice and defender Robin Fellhauer also found the net as Augsburg moved into a 3-0 lead. Rocco Reitz scored late for Gladbach.

The report also noted that Borussia Dortmund had come from behind on Friday to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2.