Star Metro - Leverkusen thump Bayern to seize control of Bundesliga title race

Munich-born defender Josip Stanisic, on loan from Bayern, scored the opener and Alex Grimaldo added another in the second half.

Jeremie Frimpong grabbed a third in injury time, scoring on the counter after Manuel Neuer had pushed up as Bayern took a corner, with Leverkusen rounding off an emphatic victory in style as they chase a first German title in the club's history.

Bayern had few answers against an energetic and skilful Leverkusen side who were fluent in attack and kept tight control of star striker Harry Kane in defence.

With 13 games remaining this season, five-time runners-up Leverkusen now have a golden chance to break Bayern's 11-year reign in the Bundesliga while shedding their unwanted 'Neverkusen' moniker.

Bayern came into the game under an unusual amount of pressure despite sitting just two points behind Leverkusen.

The game was delayed by 10 minutes due to ongoing protests against the German FA's decision to allow increased foreign investment, with fans throwing tennis balls and other objects onto the pitch as the players jogged to keep warm.

Despite the delay, Leverkusen showed none of the nerves seen among recent challengers for Bayern's crown, sticking to their high-risk, high-reward approach despite a tight press from the visitors.

Amine Adli had a half-chance but blasted straight at Neuer early, but it would be Stanisic who gave Leverkusen the lead against his parent club.

Stanisic shed new Bayern full-back Sacha Boey and tapped in a fine Robert Andrich assist from close range, scoring his first Leverkusen goal.

Winners all 16 times they have taken the lead this season, the goal foreshadowed a period of Leverkusen dominance reminiscent of their best this season, with Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah forcing last-ditch stops.

Not content to protect their lead, Leverkusen came out firing after the break and soon doubled their lead.

Summer signing Grimaldo collected an inch-perfect Nathan Tella ball and blasted past Neuer five minutes into the second half.

With the clock winding down, Neuer went up for a late Bayern corner, but Leverkusen wing-back Frimpong ran the length of the field to seal a memorable victory.

- Openda misses penalty -

RB Leipzig's hopes of closing in on the Champions League places suffered a blow, with striker Lois Openda missing a late penalty in a 2-2 draw at Augsburg.

Leipzig came into the match under pressure of losing touch with the top four after Borussia Dortmund's 3-0 win over Freiburg on Friday.

Augsburg's Phillip Tietz gave the home side the lead late in the first half with a clean volley but Openda headed Leipzig level shortly after, his 15th goal of the season.

Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko produced a carbon copy of Openda's header to put Leipzig ahead but Ermedin Demirovic pulled Augsburg back on level terms, blasting in with 30 minutes remaining.

Openda then had the chance to win it for Leipzig, but his spot-kick was kept out by Dahmen, who has stopped four of the 12 Bundesliga penalties he has faced.

Leipzig defender David Raum said "if we want to play among the big guns, we have to get through games like this."

Leipzig, who were six points clear of Dortmund at the winter break, now sit three behind having won just one in five since Christmas.

Union Berlin won 1-0 at home to Wolfsburg in a match delayed by almost an hour due to protests against the German FA, Danilho Doekhi heading in the only goal in the 25th minute of first-half injury time.

Borussia Moenchengladbach drew 0-0 at home with lowly Darmstadt in another heavily-delayed match.

Eintracht Frankfurt missed a clear chance to consolidate a European spot, drawing 1-1 at home to Bochum and will finish the weekend in sixth.

Promoted Heidenheim continued their excellent recent form, winning 2-1 at Werder Bremen.

Playing their first season in the top flight, Heidenheim moved into eighth place and have now not lost since early December.

X.Boucher--SMC