The Japan Times - Bayern on cusp of title as Dortmund lose, Eta beaten on debut

Second-placed Dortmund's defeat leaves Bayern, who host Stuttgart on Sunday, 12 points clear with a game in hand. The defending champions need just a point to claim their 35th German title.

Club record goalscorer Andrej Kramaric converted two penalties, bringing his career total to 156 for Hoffenheim, to help the hosts move past Bayer Leverkusen into fifth spot.

"To lose because of two penalties is tough," Dortmund defender Daniel Svensson said.

"We need more intensity -- we need to end the season well."

Unlike Dortmund, who have all but locked up second place, Hoffenheim still have plenty to play for as they chase a Champions League berth, and dominated proceedings in the opening half.

Just before the break, Dortmund defender Niklas Suele fell awkwardly in the box and handled the ball.

Kramaric converted the penalty as Suele was helped from the pitch with a knee injury.

Substitute Serhou Guirassy pulled one back for the visitors but Hoffenheim were awarded another penalty in stoppage time, which Kramaric once more dispatched to grab victory.

Dortmund have now lost their past two matches, having previously suffered just two defeats across the entire campaign.

- Union's Eta loses on debut -

New Union coach Eta, the first female manager of a men's team in the top five European leagues, suffered a setback on her debut, going down 2-1 at home to relegation battlers Wolfsburg.

Appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season, Eta received a rapturous response from the home crowd when her name was announced pre-match.

Union were quickly on the back foot when Patrick Wimmer scored after 11 minutes. Dzenan Pejcinovic added another just after the break to help Wolfsburg move two points behind St Pauli in the relegation play-off spot and six from safety.

Union's Oliver Burke scored a late goal but despite the defeat, the Berliners remain six points ahead of the relegation play-off spot with four games left to play this season.

"We talked a lot about many things this week," Eta told reporters after the match, adding "ultimately, it was all about football, which I was looking forward to.

"I was happy to be here today but in the end it was bitter and disappointing that we're leaving without any points."

Leverkusen dropped to sixth after losing 2-1 at home against mid-table Augsburg.

Patrik Schick headed Leverkusen in front after 12 minutes but Augsburg pegged them back just three minutes later when Fabian Rieder's shot took a deflection off Jarell Quansah and went in.

Rieder converted a penalty in the seventh minute of stoppage time to deal a hammer blow to Leverkusen's top-four hopes.

Elsewhere, Werder Bremen picked up crucial points in the battle to beat the drop, winning 3-1 at home to northern rivals Hamburg, who finished the match with nine men.

Jens Stage bagged a double either side of a Robert Glatzel strike. Cameron Puertas added a late goal to help Bremen move five points clear of the bottom three and level with Hamburg.

RB Leipzig can move five points clear of fifth spot with a win at Eintracht Frankfurt later on Saturday.

T.Ikeda--JT