Bayern Munich kept alive their faint hopes of retaining the Bundesliga title by coming from behind to win 5-2 at bottom side Darmstadt on Saturday, a day before Bayer Leverkusen can restore their 10-point lead with eight games to play.
Unbeaten Leverkusen visit Freiburg on Sunday but Bayern at least put a bit of pressure on thanks to Jamal Musiala's double and goals from Harry Kane, Serge Gnabry and Mathys Tel as the Bavarians refused to give up on a 12th straight championship.
Darmstadt, who took the lead through Tim Skarke and netted late on thanks to Oscar Vilhelmsson, are 12 points from fourth-bottom and absolute safety, a spot still occupied by Bochum after they lost 2-0 in the big relegation clash at Mainz.
Jonathan Burkardt netted a controversial penalty and a second to lift Mainz up to the relegation play-off spot and dump Cologne into the automatic relegation places with Darmstadt. Bochum still have a six-point cushion over Mainz.
Belgian Yorbe Vertessen's first Bundesliga goal and Brenden Aaronson's strike soon after gave Union Berlin a 2-1 win over Werder Bremen at the Alten Försterei as they moved three points above Bochum.
The Berliners are also now three points ahead of Wolfsburg, who were unlucky when they failed to win for an 11th successive game.
The Wolves grabbed the first goal of the day through Patrick Wimmer but lost 3-1 at home to Augsburg after Wimmer was harshly sent off and Arne Maier scored from the resulting free-kick via a deflection.
Kristijan Jakić's brace completed the turnaround.
Also in mid-table, Borussia Mönchengladbach drew 1-1 at Heidenheim.
Third-placed VfB Stuttgart travel to Hoffenheim in the late game.
