Bremen beats Frankfurt 2-1 to leave relegation fears behind
BERLIN (AP) Werder Bremen defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at home in the Bundesliga on Sunday to further ease any relegation worries.
Bremen, which had been in the relegation zone until the 20th round, is now 10 points clear with six games remaining.
A mistake from Frankfurt's Lukas Hradecky, one of the best goalkeepers in the league, gifted the home side the winner with just over 10 minutes remaining. Hradecky misjudged David Abraham's attempted clearance of Zlatko Junuzovic's cross and allowed the ball to slip through his fingers.
Junuzovic, Bremen's captain, had opened the scoring before the half-hour mark after Thomas Delaney whipped the ball in.
Frankfurt refused to buckle and deservedly equalized early in the second half with a scissor kick from Luka Jovic after Kevin-Prince Boateng set him up with his heel.
But Hradecky's lapse cost his side a place among the Champions League-qualifying positions with Frankfurt now sixth. A draw would have been enough to keep fourth-place Leipzig at bay on goal difference.
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NOBODY HAPPY
Mainz was unable to free itself from the relegation playoff spot after being held 0-0 at home by midtable Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Mainz came closest to scoring midway through the second half when Yann Sommer deflected Alexander Hack's header from a corner onto the post. The ball rebounded onto the line before the grateful 'Gladbach `keeper could gather it.
Mainz remained third from bottom and is behind Wolfsburg on goal difference with six rounds remaining.
'Gladbach's hopes of European football took a blow as the side stayed ninth, eight points behind Frankfurt in the last qualification place for the Europa League.
Bayern Munich, which routed Borussia Dortmund 6-0 on Saturday, can secure the league title with a win at Bavarian rival Augsburg next weekend.
