Leaders Bayern pegged back by Union, third-placed Mainz also held

Union Berlin's Benedict Hollerbach (R) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with his teammate Diogo Leite during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and Bayern Munich at the an der Alten Foresterei. Andreas Gora/dpa

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich dropped points for the second straight weekend after a lacklustre 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday.

Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who ended Bayern's run of 11 straight Bundesliga titles last term, can cut the gap to six points in case of a win at mid-table VfB Stuttgart on Sunday - with eight matchdays then left.

A mistake by stand-in Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig allowed Benedict Hollerbach to level on 83 minutes after substitute Leroy Sané's opener.

"We knew it would be a difficult game, all teams have it hard here," Sané told Sky. "The way we conceded for 1-1 hurts but we move forward."

The top two both lost last weekend at home to Bochum and Werder Bremen, before Bayern beat their big rivals in the Champions League last 16 in mid-week.

Third-placed Mainz, who have never been in the Champions League, were held 2-2 at home by top-four rivals Freiburg.

Germany striker Jonathan Burkardt netted first as Freiburg keeper Noah Atubolu conceded for the first time in 609 minutes.

Mainz were reduced to 10 men just before half-time when Dominik Kohr was dismissed for a professional foul and Freiburg levelled through substitute Michael Gregoritsch.

Andreas Hanche-Olsen put the hosts back ahead but Lukas Kübler soon equalized as Mainz stayed three points clear of fifth-placed Freiburg.

Alassane Pléa's hat-trick sent Borussia Mönchengladbach up to sixth and a prospective Conference League spot with a 4-2 win at mid-table Werder Bremen. Tim Kleindienst scored Gladbach's fourth but was later sent off for a studs-up tackle.

Gladbach's win means stuttering RB Leipzig have now slipped to seventh ahead of entertaining 11th-placed Borussia Dortmund in Saturday's late game.

Eighth-placed Wolfsburg lost 1-0 at Augsburg in ninth.

On Friday, St Pauli boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a 1-0 success over struggling Hoffenheim.

Sunday's games also include bottom side Heidenheim hosting second-bottom Holstein Kiel and third-bottom Bochum welcoming fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.

Urbig exposed, Sané gives Bayern a contract nudge

Bayern were captained in Berlin by Joshua Kimmich, who committed to the club until 2029 on Thursday after months of contract poker. Usual skipper Manuel Neuer missed out again after a calf problem so Urbig deputized in goal.

The 21-year-old was barely troubled by a shot-shy Union attack in the first half, although Bayern also laboured as Serge Gnabry had a rare chance.

The leaders also lacked tempo after the break and Harry Kane's header over was the best opportunity until Sané's 75th-minute breakthrough.

The wideman has been bottom of Bayern's queue for a new contract but coolly converted Josip Stanišić's cut-back.

Union levelled out of the blue when Urbig could only get a hand to a deflected cross and pushed the ball straight to Hollerbach, who could not believe his luck.

Bayern at least extended their unbeaten run against Union in the Bundesliga to 12 games. The Berliners are seven points above the relegation play-off spot.

Union defender Christopher Trimmel said: "We were happy to get that one goal of course but Bayern were clearly better."

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