Bayer Leverkusen lost further ground in their quest for a top-four finish after being held to a 1-1 draw away to Augsburg on Sunday.
Peter Bosz’s side, who are looking to better their last season’s 5th placed finish, could only muster a draw with the last kick of the game after conceding early at the WWK Arena to leave them in 5th place, five points behind Frankfurt in 4th place.
Meanwhile, Augsburg did their chances of survival a world of good, putting a mature performance to deny their visitors all three points.
The hosts came out flying from the start and were ahead by five minutes through a Florian Niederlechner finish. The striker capitalised on a Niklas Lomb mistake to give his side the lead.
Leverkusen, who controlled the bulk of the possession, could not respond immediately, and they could have been 2-0 down just before the hour mark had Niederlechner timed his run better.
The visitors were left off for the second time in the game, this time VAR overturning a penalty decision that had gone against them after referee Christian Dingert had deemed Edmond Tapsoba’s challenge in the box worthy of a penalty.
Fortunately for Leverkusen, the defender who would have been devastated had the penalty decision stood was on hand to bail his side in the 94th minute, with a striker-esque shot from the edge of the box after he was found by January signing Demarai Gray.
The result means that Augsburg remains in 13th place, five points clear of the relegation zone, while Leverkusen stay in 5th place and trailing the Champions League position by five points.
