Leaders Leverkusen held 1-1 at Stuttgart for second straight draw

STUTTGART, Germany - Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen stumbled to a 1-1 draw at third-placed VfB Stuttgart on Sunday for their second draw in a row but still increased their lead at the top to four points.

Xabi Alonso's team, the last unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season, move up to 36 points, with second-placed Bayern Munich, who suffered a 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, on 32 with a game in hand. Stuttgart remained third on 31.

The hosts soaked up a lot of pressure in the first half and Leverkusen also hit the woodwork with Amine Adli in the ninth minute before taking the lead in the 40th against the run of play with Chris Fuehrich's goal from an Alejandro Grimaldo assist.

The visitors levelled just two minutes after the restart with Granit Xhaka sending Victor Boniface down the left and his cutback was volleyed in by Florian Wirtz.

Xhaka then almost turned goalscorer but his low drive bounced off the post in the 49th minute.

Both teams had their share of chances with Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and his Stuttgart counterpart Alexander Nuebel kept busy throughout and making several outstanding saves. REUTERS