Leverkusen extend record-breaking season with win over Union Berlin

Bayer Leverkusen have moved within touching distance of their maiden Bundesliga championship, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over 10-man Union Berlin in the German capital. The win sees Leverkusen extend their club record for most wins in a single season, reaching an impressive 36 victories.

Fresh off their progression to the DFB-Pokal final, Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso made some tactical adjustments to his lineup. However, key players remained in the starting XI, and it was flying wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo who came close to opening the scoring, with his free-kick forcing a smart save from Frederik Ronnow in the Union goal.

Ronnow was called into action again soon after, reacting brilliantly to palm away Borja Iglesias’ header, denying the Spaniard his first goal for the Bundesliga leaders. Grimaldo then missed the target with an effort of his own, while Robert Andrich also saw his long-range shot kept out by the in-form Union goalkeeper.

The first half descended into chaos in the closing moments, with Robin Gosens receiving his second yellow card for a trip on Nathan Tella. Leverkusen then won a penalty, and Florian Wirtz stepped up to confidently dispatch the spot-kick, giving his side the lead going into the break.

Armed with a numerical advantage, Leverkusen dominated possession in the second half, but clear-cut chances were hard to come by as Union Berlin sat deep and frustrated their opponents. The long-awaited introduction of Nigerian forward Victor Boniface did nothing to ignite the visitors’ attack, but Leverkusen held on to notch another vital victory, moving them to the brink of a historic first-ever Bundesliga title.