BERLIN: Union Berlin slumped to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday to require victory on the last Bundesliga matchday to secure what would be a sensational Champions League spot for next season as fellow Berlin club Hertha were relegated.

Union, this season’s surprise team, have only themselves to blame for the defeat, gifting the first two goals to the hosts and remain fourth on 59 points, as many as fifth-placed Freiburg, who had kep their hopes of a top-four finish with victory over VfL Wolfsburg on Friday.

Only the top four clubs qualify for Europe’s premier club competition next season.

Hoffenheim took the lead in the 22nd minute when Diogo Leite’s defensive error sent the ball straight to Ilhas Bebou to fire in.

Things got even worse for the Portuguese defender in the 36th when he conceded a penalty which Andrej Kramaric converted for a 2-0 lead.

The visitors managed to pull a goal back before the break thanks to Danilho Doekhi’s powerful header in stoppage time but despite some good chances in the second half they could not find an equaliser.

Instead it was Kramaric who tapped in at the end for his second goal.

Aissa Laidouni’s stoppage time goal gave them some hope but Munas Dabbur scored for Hoffenheim again to make sure his team would remain in the top division for another season.

The other Berlin club, bottom side Hertha were less fortunate and were relegated after conceding a stoppage time equaliser in a 1-1 draw against VfL Bochum.

Dead last coming into the weekend, Hertha appeared poised to delay relegation for at least another week when Lucas Tousart headed in a second-half goal at Berlin’s Olympic stadium.

Keven Schlotterbeck however scored a header in the fourth minute of injury time, securing Bochum a draw and sending Hertha to the second division after ten years in the Bundesliga.

Bochum’s point means they climb one place clear of the relegation spots with one final week remaining.

For Schalke a point represented away from being relegated directly back to the second division. Striker Sebastian Polter scored late at home against Eintracht Frankfurt to give his side a 2-2 draw.

Schalke, promoted at the start of the season, took the lead in the first minute as captain Simon Terodde headed in a free kick.

Daichi Kamada equalised 20 minutes later for the visitors and Tuta gave Frankfurt the lead 15 minutes into the second half, before Polter scored just his second of the season with five minutes remaining to snatch Schalke the draw.

Elsewhere, Werder Bremen ensured another year in the top division with a 1-1 draw at home against Cologne.

A first-half goal by Steffen Tigges gave Cologne the lead but Romano Schmid scored late in the second half to snare a point for the home side.

Bremen were promoted before the season after one year in the second division — their first relegation in 40 years.

On Friday, Freiburg scored twice in four minutes in the second half through substitutes Christian Guenter and Nils Petersen to snatch a 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg.

Guenter’s deflected shot put the hosts in the driving seat in the 71st minute, only a minute after coming on.

Crowd favourite Petersen, who had also come on in the 70th and will retire at the end of the season, struck in the 75th but the hosts finished the game with 10 after a red card for Nicolas Hoefler in stoppage time.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2023