Bundesliga Roundup, Matchday 26
The 26th round of games in the 2023/24 Bundesliga season featured exciting matches and impressive performances. Here is a recap of the weekend’s games.
Cologne 1-5 RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig continued the chase for a UCL spot in the Bundesliga following a 5-1 win over Cologne, with Loïs Openda scoring two goals in the second half to lead the way. This victory marked Cologne’s ninth consecutive match without a win against the current top-five teams this season. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig has now won four of their last five league matches. Despite the loss, Cologne remains seven points away from safety with only eight games left in the season.
Wolfsburg 1-3 Augsburg
Augsburg secured their fourth consecutive Bundesliga victory by defeating VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 at the Volkswagen Arena after coming from behind. This win marks their fourth in a row and places them in seventh position, only five points away from European qualification spots. On the other hand, Wolfsburg’s winless streak extends to 11 matches as they drop to 14th place, facing the risk of being involved in a relegation battle based on their recent performances.
Union Berlin 2-1 Werder Bremen
Union Berlin increased their lead over the Bundesliga automatic relegation zone to 10 points with a close 2-1 win against Werder Bremen. This victory extended Bremen’s poor record in head-to-head matches to six losses in seven games. Despite late pressure from Bremen, Union Berlin’s team managed to hold on for a vital three points, while Bremen suffered their third straight defeat.
Mainz 2-0 Bochum
Bo Henriksen’s team broke a streak of three winless Bundesliga matches by defeating VfL Bochum, who are also fighting against relegation. This victory brought Mainz within six points of safety at the bottom of the table. The outcome puts Bochum back into the relegation battle, as they now have to keep an eye on the teams in the drop zone, including Mainz.
Heidenheim 1-1 Monchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach was unable to turn a lead into a win for the third consecutive game as Heidenheim came back to earn a 1-1 draw, avoiding a third straight loss in their head-to-head matchups. Despite their strong performance in the second half, Heidenheim seemed to lose momentum towards the end and had to settle for a draw. Heidenheim’s winless streak now stands at five games, while Gladbach has only won once in their last 10 matches, leaving both teams in mid-table positions.
Darmstadt 2-5 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich had to rally from a deficit to beat SV Darmstadt, ultimately securing a 5-2 victory that highlighted the impressive skills of Jamal Musiala. His two goals were instrumental in ending Bayern’s four-game winless streak on the road. This was a productive day for Thomas Tuchel’s team, although they remain 10 points behind Leverkusen. On the other hand, Darmstadt’s 19th consecutive league match without a win indicates that the clock is ticking for the bottom-ranked club in the league.
Hoffenheim 0-3 Stuttgart
With the help of two assists from Deniz Undav in the first half, VfB Stuttgart extended their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to eight games and inched closer to securing a spot in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League. They comfortably defeated a struggling Hoffenheim team 3-0 at PreZero Arena. Stuttgart cruised to victory, solidifying their position in the top three which would secure them a place in the upcoming expanded UEFA Champions League if they maintain it. Hoffenheim suffered their second consecutive defeat in 2024, making European qualification increasingly challenging with each passing week.
Freiburg 2-3 Bayer Leverkusen
In an exciting match, Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, defeated Freiburg 3-2 to extend their lead over Bayern Munich to 10 points in the Bundesliga standings. Despite a strong effort from Freiburg, they couldn’t keep up with Leverkusen, who managed to maintain their unbeaten streak of 37 games.
Dortmund 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Late goals by Mats Hummels and Emre Can helped Dortmund secure a crucial 3-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, propelling them back into the top four of the Bundesliga. This victory also put an end to Eintracht Frankfurt’s five-match unbeaten league streak under Dino Toppmöller. Dortmund will face tough challenges ahead, including matches against the top three Bundesliga teams and Atlético Madrid twice, requiring them to elevate their performance to stay ahead of RB Leipzig in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification. Despite Frankfurt’s concerns about their poor away form, having won only two of their last 12 matches on the road, they still have a good chance of finishing in the top six.
