Leverkusen edge Freiburg as title march gathers pace, Dortmund win

Relentless Bayer Leverkusen beat ninth-placed Freiburg 3-2 away on Sunday and moved another stride closer to their first Bundesliga title.

Borussia Dortmund were also boosted in their pursuit of a Champions League spot next season by moving back fourth after coming from behind to win 3-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.

On Saturday, second-placed Bayern Munich won 5-2 at bottom side Darmstadt to trim the gap but Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Leverkusen restored their 10-point lead with eight to play thanks to goals from Florian Wirtz, Adam Hložek and Patrik Schick.

"We have an intense April ahead of us and hope that all the boys return from their national teams without any problems," Alonso told reporters ahead of the international break.

Leverkusen have not lost in any competition all season but came the closest yet on Thursday when trailing 2-1 to Azerbaijan's Qarabag entering injury time in their Europe League last 16 second leg.

But Schick popped up twice for another remarkable Werkself win and Leverkusen quickly carried on where they left off with Germany's Wirtz scoring in style after 2 minutes in Freiburg.

"You can always improve in every game," playmaker Wirtz, who starred yet again, told DAZN. "That's always my goal. It's hard to say what exactly I should improve on but we have a good coach who can help."

The hosts are hoping for another European adventure next season, having been battered by West Ham United in midweek, and Japan's Ritsu Doan equalized when he played a one-two with Lucas Höler and netted after 10 minutes.

The game was even until Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu failed to scoop up the ball and Hložek had an easy finish on 40 minutes.

Fellow Czech forward Schick then expertly turned in Jeremie Frimpong's cross for 3-1 after the break before Yannik Keitel (79) set up a nervous finale.

The win stretched Leverkusen's record to 38 games unbeaten in all competitions this term and left Bayern with scant hope of a 12th straight title.

Dortmund were knocked down to fifth by RB Leipzig thumping Cologne 5-1 away on Friday but they are now a point above the Red Bulls.

The hosts started brightly against Frankfurt but then a long ball was not dealt with, Omar Marmoush's shot was saved by Alex Meyer and Mario Götze cleverly found the corner of the net on 13 minutes.

The 2014 Germany World Cup winner refused to celebrate against his former club, who deservedly equalized through Karim Adeyemi on 33 minutes after constant pressure.

It looked like a winner would not come until Mats Hummels turned in Julian Brandt's free kick with a diving header on 81 minutes. Emre Can, earlier spared a red card by the video assistant, netted a late penalty.

It has been another roller-coaster season for last term's runners-up, with the high of reaching the Champions League quarters in midweek being followed by this late win.

Sixth-placed Frankfurt are now 10 points behind Dortmund in the current Conference League berth.

There is a chance Germany will be handed a fifth Champions League spot because of the expanded and revamped tournament next season but that relies on complicated national co-efficients.

Edin Terzic's Dortmund could also win Europe's top trophy on June 1 but they - and Terzic if he wants to stay in a job - will want a top-four spot to be sure of returning to the top table next term.