Sports

Bayern title charge slowed by another Bundesliga draw

Bayern title charge slowed by another Bundesliga draw

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bayern's Thiago celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, April 22, 2017. Photo: AP

MUNICH: Bayern Munich was held for a second successive Bundesliga game, with the leader twice coming from behind against lowly Mainz to recover a 2-2 draw on Saturday. It was another setback for Bayern following Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal exit at Real Madrid, but the German title still looks to be Bayern's for a fifth consecutive season. Bayern duo Arjen Robben and Thiago Alcantara canceled out Bojan Krkic's second-minute opener and then Daniel Brosinski's penalty just before the break. Bayern extended its advantage to nine points with four games remaining but Leipzig, which plays Schalke on Sunday, can still catch Carlo Ancelotti's defending champions. Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach courtesy of Raphael Guerreiro's 87th-minute goal lifted Thomas Tuchel's side up to third, five points behind Leipzig. RELEGATION SCRAP Last-place Darmstadt dealt a blow to Hamburger SV's survival hopes by beating its fellow struggler 2-1. Hamburg is only a point above the bottom three. Wolfsburg is ahead of Hamburg only on goal difference after losing at Hertha Berlin 1-0. Augsburg occupies the relegation playoff spot after a 3-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt. Next-from-last Ingolstadt is five points from safety after a 4-2 loss to Werder Bremen, despite leading 2-1 with nine minutes to go.