Freak own goal boosts Leipzig's top 5 hopes, Dortmund win

RB Leipzig - thanks to a freak own goal in injury time - emerged as big winners alongside Hoffenheim in the race for the Bundesliga's Champions League places on Saturday.

Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen pushed out a cross but it hit Arthur

Chaves and flew in to give fifth-placed Leipzig a last-gasp 2-1 home victory. Dahmen almost scored at the other end after going up for a very late corner.

"Sure the win is lucky but it only happens when you believe in it," Leipzig midfielder Christoph Baumgartner told Sky.

Hoffenheim, in third, beat all-but-relegated Heidenheim 4-2 away. Coach Christian Ilzer was too ill to make the trip to their south-west neighbours but Alexander Prass scored twice to help his side build a five-point cushion in the Champions League spots.

Fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart, on the same points as Leipzig, were pegged back for 2-2 late on by Mainz's Danny da Costa in a wild game.

Lee Jae Sung had handed mid-table hosts Mainz the lead but a quickfire double from Ermedin Demirović and Deniz Undav - a German World Cup hopeful - had looked to have stolen the points before Da Costa's stoppage-time leveller.

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness, who hosts Leipzig next weekend, said: "Mixed feelings. I don't think we deserved more than a point."

Bayer Leverkusen, in sixth, drew 3-3 at Freiburg in another thrilling encounter as Vincenzo Grifo joined Nils Petersen as the home side's record scorer on 105 goals.

The Werkself trail their top-five rivals by three points having won a game in hand in midweek against SV Hamburg.

The Bundesliga hopes to receive a fifth place in Europe's top competition alongside England next term based on UEFA co-efficients.

Dortmund do what they need to

Second-placed Dortmund look all but assured of a Champions League spot after a 2-1 win at 10-man Cologne in the late game.

The Black and Yellows are 11 points ahead of Leverkusen after Serhou Guirassy slid in Maxi Beier's clever headed pass and Beier then finished off a neat one-two with Julian Brandt.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who has endured a difficult spell at Cologne after joining on loan in January from Manchester City, was sent off inbetween the goals for catching Beier on the ankle with his studs.

The Billygoats have not won in five games and sit 13th, with coach Lukas Kwasniok under pressure despite Jakub Kamiński's 88th-minute goal and a strong late shout for a penalty.

On Friday, leaders Bayern Munich beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 at home without the injured Harry Kane. The defending champions won at Dortmund last weekend and their 11-point lead looks insurmountable.

Wolfsburg's Bauer on the brink

At the other end, sliding Wolfsburg lost 2-1 at home to Hamburg - their sixth defeat in seven - to remain in the second automatic relegation spot above Heidenheim.

The defeat was met by a player brawl after the final whistle and a flurry of flares thrown onto the pitch from angry Wolfsburg fans facing a first ever Bundesliga relegation.

Coach Daniel Bauer risks losing his job, with 2009 title-winning boss Felix Magath among those linked in the media with the role.

The Wolves, heavily backed by carmaker Volkswagen until recent cuts, have been in the top flight since 1997 but are three points adrift of safety with nine games left.

"It's very difficult to find the right words. It's extremely bitter and really hurts," captain Maxi Arnold said.

Wolfsburg will be glued to fourth-bottom St Pauli hosting Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday before third-bottom Werder Bremen go to Union Berlin.