Bundesliga Matchday 27 in pictures
Hoffenheim could have been three or four up at halftime but settled for a 1-0 win over Bayern to remain on course for the Champions league. Elsewhere, wins for Dortmund & Cologne while Bremen's run continues.
Virtuoso!
Naby Keita has been the hero for RB Leipzig time and time again this season, and he popped up with a crucial late goal at Mainz which proved the winner. But it wasn't any old goal. A spectacular slalom run took out five Mainz defenders before a neat one-two allowed him to slot the ball under Jonas Lössl. A wonderful goal and yet another reminder of the talents of this hugely talented midfielder.
Agony to ecstasy!
Almog Cohen was the standout performer on a huge night for Ingolstadt, who are now only four points from safety after a big win at Augsburg. Cohen and Pascal Gross, left, combined for Ingolstadt's second of the night with Cohen heading in the latter's cross to open up a 2-0 lead. Cohen would go on to score a third - another header - to secure an invaluable three points.
Relief!
Kevin Volland inspired Bayer Leverkusen to a vital three points following the disappointment of letting the points slip away against Wolfsburg on the weekend. This time they were up against Darmstadt, who may only be playing for pride now, but put up a decent challenge. But Volland assisted the opener and scored the second on a successful night for Leverkusen.
Boom!
Laszlo Benes celebrates his piledriver for Borussia Mönchengladbach, which proved the only goal of the game against Hertha Berlin. Gladbach dominated the match and could have won it by a more handsome scoreline, but for some sharper finishing. But it mattered little in the end as Gladbach look to make a late surge up the table.
Hero to zero
Mario Gomez's electrifying performance at BayArena on the weekend was something to behold, but Gomez was guilty of a bad miss in the first half, screwing the ball wide when he should have scored, despite the fact he was offside but not flagged. Freiburg went on to steady the ship and pick up the win, which leaves Wolfsburg with work to do if they are to protect their top-flight status.
Thumbs up, Bremen!
From relegation fears to dreams of Europe! Six wins from their last seven games have propelled Alexander Nouri's Werder Bremen up into the top half of the table. Max Kruse was outstanding against Schalke on Tuesday as Bremen scored at least three goals for the third match in a row.
A costly mistake
With Manuel Neuer still injured, it was left to deputy keeper Sven Ulreich to keep out Andrej Kramaric and co in Sinsheim - and he was certainly kept busy, pulling of a string of saves in the opening stages as Hoffenheim came flying out of the traps. But having done the hard work, he then let a stoppable Kramaric effort through his grip and Bayern never recovered.
All together now!
Wearing a special kit to promote a refugee programme in Cologne, "FC" kept their European dreams alive with a 1-0 win over hapless Frankfurt. German Chancellor Angela Merkel watched from the stands as Milos Jojic scored the only goal of the game. Niko Kovac's visitors have now gone seven hours without a goal and slip to seventh.
Shinji strikes!
Once one of the Bundesliga's most dangerous goal-scoring midfielders, Shinji Kagawa hasn't been as prolific in front of goal since his return from Manchester United. Tonight, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele were again guilty of extreme profligacy, the Japanese playmaker doubled Dortmund's lead with his first goal of the season.