Misfiring leaders Leverkusen held at home by Gladbach

LEVERKUSEN, Germany :Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen squandered a bagful of chances before settling for a 0-0 draw against visitors Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday and seeing their lead at the top cut to two points.

Unbeaten Leverkusen, who announced the on-loan signing of striker Borja Iglesias immediately after the game, head the standings on 49 points, with Bayern Munich, 3-2 winners at Augsburg, in second place on 47.

VfB Stuttgart are third with 37 following their 5-2 demolition of RB Leipzig.

The hosts had more than 70 per cent of possession in the first half and two good early opportunities for Florian Wirtz but struggled to crack open the disciplined Gladbach defence.

It was even more one-way traffic after the break with Xabi Alonso's team squandering several chances, with Jeremie Frimpong coming agonisingly close three times in a six-minute spell and Alejandro Grimaldo firing over the bar from close range.

A stoppage-time Nathan Tella shot from two metres was far too weak and completed a disappointing evening for the hosts.

Leverkusen will hope new 31-year-old striker Iglesias, on loan from Real Betis until the end of the season, can improve that conversion rate following the injury of their top striker Victor Boniface earlier in January.

"He can fill the gap left by the absence of Victor," said Leverkusen sports director Simon Rolfes.