Football: Bayern on verge of fifth straight title after Leipzig held

Leipzig's Stefan Ilsanker (right) in action against Ingolstadt's Dario Lezcano. PHOTO: EPA

BERLIN (AFP) - Bayern Munich will be crowned Bundesliga champions for the fifth straight season by beating Wolfsburg away on Saturday (April 29) after second-placed RB Leipzig were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Ingolstadt.

Leipzig's result at their Red Bull Arena, where defender Alfredo Morales was sent off with four minutes left to play, left Bayern seven points clear with the Bavarians still having four games to play.

Leipzig, meanwhile, can only claim a maximum nine further points.

A 22nd league win this season, and three more points at Wolfsburg's Volkswagen Arena, will confirm Carlo Ancelotti's team as champions for the 27th time.

It would be consolation for Wednesday's 3-2 German Cup semi-final defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund which robbed Ancelotti the chance of emulating predecessor Pep Guardiola with the domestic double in his first season.

Dortmund, who face Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup final on May 27, hold onto third place, which would mean a direct Champions League place next season, despite their goalless draw at home to Cologne.

Both Dortmund Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the league's top-scorer with 27 goals, and Cologne's Anthony Modeste, who has 23 league goals, drew blanks at Signal Iduna Park.

Hoffenheim, coached by Julian Nagelsmann, 29, the youngest coach in Bundesliga history, can leapfrog Dortmund if they beat Eintracht in Frankfurt on Sunday.

Werder Bremen's remarkable finish to the season continues as they earned a 2-0 win to home to Hertha Berlin to stay sixth.

Bremen remain on course for a Europa League place having risen from bottom in September after losing their first four games.

Werder striker Max Kruse's dream April continued as he netted Bremen's second after Fin Bartels's opener for his eighth goal in six games this month.

Bremen are now unbeaten in their last 11 games.

Mainz remain just a point from the bottom three after Japan striker Yoshinori Muto scored their consolation goal in a 2-1 home defeat as Lars Stindl and Nico Schulz scored for Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Bottom side Darmstadt again delayed their relegation with a 3-0 win at home to Freiburg.

Torsten Frings-coached Darmstadt picked up their third straight victory thanks to goals by Felix Platte, Jerome Gondorf and Sven Schipplock.

Darmstadt are still eight points from safety with three games left.

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