Bayern drops more Bundesliga points with draw at Hoffenheim

BERLIN (AP) — Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich dropped more points Saturday in a 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim, while Stuttgart gained a vital draw in its fight against relegation.

Robert Lewandowski’s 29th league goal of the season was all Bayern could get despite dominating the game in Sinsheim, where Christoph Baumgartner had opened the scoring in the 32nd minute for Hoffenheim.

It was Bayern’s second consecutive draw in the Bundesliga after last weekend’s 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen, and the third game in its last five in which it has dropped points.

Bayern stretched its lead to 10 points but second-place Borussia Dortmund has played two games fewer. Bayern has eight matches left to play while Dortmund hosts coronavirus-hit Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday, and it still has to face Mainz after their game last week was postponed due to coronavirus infections.

Bayern had three goals ruled out for offside and missed a host of chances, while Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann helped frustrate the visitors with a string of good saves.

Lewandowski finally equalized in first-half injury time with a powerful header to Joshua Kimmich’s corner, but the Poland star was unable to add to his tally in the second half.

Saša Kalajdžić scored in the last minute to lift Stuttgart out of a direct relegation place with a 1-1 draw at Union Berlin.

Stuttgart, which ended its nine-game run without a win last weekend, moved ahead of Union’s city rival Hertha Berlin on goal difference ahead of Hertha’s game at struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach later Saturday.

Freiburg moved to fourth, the last qualification place for the Champions League, with a 3-2 win at home over Wolfsburg.

Vincenzo Grifo opened the scoring with a perfectly placed free kick in the