Bundesligs matchday 21 Recap: Bayern extend their lead, a losing start for Kovač, relegation gets tighter, and more. | OneFootball

With each passing matchday in the Bundesliga, the race for the title, Europe, and survival gets tighter and tighter. From debuts to perfect penalties as well as relegation six-pointers, here is your recap and talking points from matchday 21 in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Extend Their Lead

Bayern Munich put the pressure on Bayer Leverkusen by comfortably beating Werder Bremen 3-0 at home on Friday evening.

It was a match in which Bayern had to be patient. Having controlled the majority of the game, they went into the break at 0-0. Just before the hour, Bayern got their chance when they were awarded for penalty for handball. Harry Kane, who hasn’t missed a penalty for Bayern, stepped up to emphatically slam the ball into the corner of the net. In truth, even if Michael Zetterer had dived the correct way, he still wouldn’t have stopped it.

Leroy Sané put the game beyond doubt with ten minutes to go, having only been on the pitch for 67 seconds when Konrad Laimer’s cross was volleyed home from close range.

Kane then wrapped up the win with a second penalty – a night to forget for Bremen’s Anthony Jung, who was at fault for both spot-kicks.

Following Bayer Leverkusen’s 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon, Bayern are now 8 points clear going into their match against B04 on matchday 22.

Debut Defeat in Dortmund

Niko Kovač suffered a debut defeat as Borussia Dortmund’s head coach as they lost 1-2 at the hands of Champions League hopefuls VfB Stuttgart.

It was a game that was hard to call in the first 45 minutes, with Stuttgart having the best chance following a loose pass from Waldemar Anton – Denis Undav went around the keeper but was stopped at the last second by Emre Can.

Anton, a former Stuttgart player, turned villain once again for Dortmund when he intercepted a Stuttgart cross only to put the ball into his own net.

The former Stuttgart defender gave a frustrated smile as he picked himself up from the ground.

Stuttgart doubled their lead with a thunderbolt of a volley from an unlikely source – centreback Jeff Chabot found himself free at the back post and rifled home his first goal in the Bundesliga.

Julian Brandt pulled a goal back for Dortmund but it was too little too late.

Julian Ryerson was also sent off late on for reacting to being pulled back when on the counter-attack. It looked harsh at the time, and you imagine Dortmund will appeal.

Niko Kovač knows now he has a job on his hands.

Is Relegation a Three-Horse Race?

There is a slight gap appearing at the bottom of the Bundesliga table. Following another heavy loss for Heidenheim (this time against Union Berlin) and Bochum drawing with Kiel, there are now four points separating 16th and 15th.

Beyond that, Kiel has 13 points, and Bochum is in 18th with 11 points. These three teams are currently chasing safety in 15th place, which Hoffenheim currently occupies. However, should the current situation continue, the bottom three will be scraping it out for a relegation play-off by the end of the season. What’s more, you feel TSG has more match-winners than the bottom three. If anything, they and even St. Pauli could pull further away.

Looking at the run-in to the end of the campaign, Bochum has a mixed bag. They’re playing teams at the top but will have the likes of Hoffenheim at home, Heidenheim away, and St. Pauli away on the last day as must-wins.

Likewise, Kiel has yet to play Heidenheim away and St. Pauli at home, but other than that, they have a tougher run-in playing the likes of B04, Dortmund, Freiburg, and Stuttgart.

On paper, Heidenheim has the worst run-in, playing B04, Frankfurt, Bayern, and Stuttgart within their last seven matches.

There are plenty of twists and turns to happen, but right now, it’s looking like a three-horse race for the relegation play-off.

Around The Grounds

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, there were draws galore with Mainz and Augsburg (0-0), Borussia Mönchengladbach and Frankfurt (1-1), Kiel and Bochum (2-2), and Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen (0-0) all sharing the spoils.

RB Leipzig earned their first win in five Bundesliga matches by overcoming St. Pauli 2-0 in Saxony.

Union Berlin further pulled themselves away from the drop, beating Hoffenheim 0-4. Benedict Hollerbach was the star performer, scoring twice for the Berliners.

GGFN | Jamie Allen