Josip Stanisic (TV) celebrates after saving 1-1 for Leverkusen away to Borussia Dortmund. Photo: Martin Meissner / AP / NTB
Of NTB | 21.04.2024 20:00:28
Sport: Germany’s new league champions were headed for their first defeat since May last year, but then Josip Stanisic appeared at a corner. He scored the equalizer seven minutes into extra time.
The celebration was unmistakable. It means a lot for Leverkusen to be able to go through the season undefeated and become even more historic.
The club’s unbeaten streak is 45 games in various tournaments. No other team from the top five leagues in Europe has previously reached such a number. Juventus stopped at 43 matches in 2012.
As recently as Thursday, Leverkusen narrowly avoided losing to West Ham in the Europa League.
It was 0-0 in Dortmund until Niclas Füllkrug put the hosts ahead in the 81st minute, but Julian Ryerson and his team-mates were not to be credited with stopping the Leverkusen run. The miss in extra time also means that the yellow and black clad are two points behind table four RB Leipzig.
In midweek, Borussia Dortmund reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Most indications are that the team will get another season in the tournament, even if it were to finish fifth in the Bundesliga. Germany is, so to speak, guaranteed to get an extra place in the Champions League in the autumn.
Earlier on Sunday, Stuttgart lost 1-2 away to Werder Bremen. The result means that the club is three points behind runners-up Bayern Munich with four rounds remaining.
(© NTB)