Leipzig lose more ground on Bayern with Hoffenheim loss

RB Leipzig continued to lose ground on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich with a 4-3 defeat at lowly Hoffenheim on Saturday, while Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen registered big wins.

Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalise three times and hit the lead with four minutes remaining on a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer.

Hoffenheim’s Adam Hlozek collected a brace while Tom Bischof scored a clever free-kick and Jacob Bruun Larsen was responsible for the winner in the 86th minute.

Leipzig’s efforts came through Willi Orban, Antonio Nusa and an own goal from Hoffenheim’s Stanley N’Soki.

Equal on points with Bayern just three matchdays ago, Leipzig have lost two and drawn one and now sit eight behind the league leaders.

Leipzig had only conceded five goals in the league season before Saturday’s outing.

“We’re incredibly disappointed. We went ahead three times and lost in the end, that really hurts,” Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner told Sky.

Eintracht Frankfurt can leapfrog Leipzig into second place and close the gap on Bayern to six points when they host Werder Bremen later on Saturday.

– ‘Special place’ –
In Dortmund, the home side won 4-0 over Freiburg thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens, while the visitors finished with nine men.

Under fire and sitting outside the European spots coming into the match, Dortmund’s one saving grace this league campaign has been their home form, with five wins from five.

“It’s a special place here, with the fans behind you,” Brandt told Sky, with an eye on next week’s home clash with Bayern.

“That’ll be a sensational game.”

The hosts got on track early, when Beier, who scored a double for Germany’s Under-21s against France this week,