Football

Union Berlin and Freiburg played out a goalless draw in the German capital on Friday, with Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow saving a first-half penalty.Freiburg were awarded a penalty after 22 minutes when Eren Dinkci was brought down in the box. Captain Vincenzo Grifo stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his effort was expertly saved by Ronnow. This marked the fifth consecutive missed penalty for Freiburg in the Bundesliga, equaling a club record set in 1999.Despite the missed penalty, Freiburg continued to press for a goal. Lucas Hoeler had a late chance to snatch all three points, but his shot was brilliantly blocked by Diogo Leite.The draw moved Freiburg one point ahead of Bayer Leverkusen into fourth place in the Bundesliga standings, while Union Berlin remained in seventh, just outside the European qualification spots.The match was a rematch of the final matchday of last season, when Union secured their top-flight status with a home win over Freiburg.On Saturday, league leaders Bayern Munich will travel to promoted St. Pauli, while defending champions Leverkusen will face last-placed Bochum.

Harry Kane's brace and assist propelled Bayern Munich to a commanding 3-0 victory over Union Berlin, extending their lead atop the Bundesliga standings to three points. The England captain opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Michael Olise was fouled in the box. Before halftime, Kane turned provider, setting up Kingsley Coman for a thunderous strike. Kane completed his brace in the second half, capitalizing on a loose ball ahead of Jamal Musiala.Despite recent setbacks in the Champions League, Bayern have maintained their dominance domestically, scoring 16 goals without conceding in their last four Bundesliga matches. Kane expressed confidence in his team's abilities, stating, "We've not started the Champions League well, so the pressure is on in every Champions League game now. I think if we use the confidence that we've played the last few games with, we can cause any team a lot of problems."In other Bundesliga action, Borussia Dortmund eased the pressure on coach Nuri Sahin with a 2-1 home win over RB Leipzig. Benjamin Sesko gave Leipzig the early lead, but Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy scored to secure the victory for Dortmund.Eintracht Frankfurt continued their impressive form with a 7-2 thrashing of Bochum. Omar Marmoush, who now trails Kane by one goal in the scoring charts, contributed a goal and two assists. Hugo Ekitike scored a brace, while Ansgar Knauff, Nathaniel Brown, Mahmoud Dahoud, and Can Uzun also found the net.Promoted sides St Pauli and Holstein Kiel celebrated victories, boosting their hopes of avoiding relegation. Kiel earned their first Bundesliga win with a 1-0 home triumph over Heidenheim, while St Pauli defeated Hoffenheim 2-0. Bochum remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point from nine games.

Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga title defense has hit another roadblock after they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Holstein Kiel on Saturday. The result leaves Xabi Alonso's side with 11 points from six matches, allowing Bayern Munich to extend their lead at the summit when they face Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.Leverkusen made a blistering start at the BayArena, with Victor Boniface opening the scoring after just four minutes. Exequiel Palacios' incisive run created the opportunity, and the Argentinian was also involved in the second goal four minutes later, setting up Jonas Hofmann for a composed finish.However, Kiel refused to be overawed and pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time. Max Geschwill forced the ball into the net with his shoulder, and the goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check.Leverkusen's defensive frailties were exposed again in the second half as Jann-Fiete Arp equalized from the penalty spot in the 69th minute. The hosts pushed for a winner but were unable to find a breakthrough.In the capital, Union Berlin stunned Borussia Dortmund with a 2-0 halftime lead. Kevin Vogt converted a penalty, and Yorbe Vertessen added a second. Dortmund rallied in the second half, with Julian Ryerson pulling one back in the 62nd minute. However, it was not enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat.Elsewhere, Wolfsburg earned a crucial 3-1 victory away to Bochum to climb out of the relegation zone. Werder Bremen suffered a 1-0 home loss to Freiburg, while Augsburg defeated Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 in a mid-table clash on Friday.

Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning Bundesliga champions, stand on the cusp of history as they aim to become the first team to complete an undefeated season in the league's history. On Saturday, they face Augsburg in a match that could cement their legacy as one of the greatest teams in German football.Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen have been unstoppable this season, setting a European record with a 50-game unbeaten streak that includes runs to the German Cup and Europa League finals. Their relentless form has seen them amass 87 points from 33 games, putting them on the brink of an unprecedented achievement.A victory against Augsburg would give Leverkusen 90 points from 34 games, equaling the second-highest tally in Bundesliga history. Striker Patrik Schick has described the match as "like a final," while captain Lukas Hradecky has spoken of the "immortality" that awaits his team.Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Union Berlin face a desperate battle for survival. The club, which made its Champions League debut this season, must defeat Freiburg and hope for favorable results elsewhere to avoid relegation.Union's rise has been remarkable, from their debut promotion in 2019 to their fourth-place finish last season. However, a disastrous run of nine straight losses this season has left them in danger of falling back to the second division.Even a win against Freiburg may not be enough for Union, as they need Mainz or Bochum to lose their respective matches. Freiburg coach Christian Streich has vowed to "play to win," but Union will be determined to secure their Bundesliga status.In other matches, Borussia Dortmund host last-placed Darmstadt in Marco Reus' final game at the Westfalenstadion. Bayern Munich, already assured of second place, will look to extend their unbeaten run against Hoffenheim. Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur needs six goals to break Robert Lewandowski's single-season Bundesliga record of 41.