Berlin: Robert Andrich’s first-half strike gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, edging Bayern Munich closer to a record-extending 35th Bundesliga title.
Bayern play at third-bottom St Pauli later on Saturday and would go 12 points clear with a win, with five games remaining.
Bayern, who host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday holding a 2-1 lead, can win the title as early as next week.
Leverkusen became just the second team to beat Dortmund in the league this season and moved one point behind fourth-placed Stuttgart.
Dortmund remain eight points clear in second place despite their four-game winning streak coming to an end.
“We’re really happy Schlotti extended,” centre-back partner Waldemar Anton told DAZN. “He didn’t deserve the boos. That hurts the team, everyone in the stands needs to know that. It’s nonsense and it’s not something we can accept.”
Stoic and risk averse under coach Niko Kovac this season, Dortmund were uncharacteristically fluid in attack in the opening half hour but Andrich broke through for the visitors in simple fashion.
