AUGSBURG, Germany (Reuters) – Exequiel Palacios drilled in a second half stoppage-time goal to give Bayer Leverkusen a dramatic 1-0 win at Augsburg on Saturday and keep them top of the Bundesliga with a four-point advantage.
Palacios stabbed home from close range to lift Leverkusen to 45 points, with Bayern Munich, 3-0 winners over Hoffenheim on Friday, on 41 and with a game in hand in second place.
Xabi Alonso’s team had the upper hand from the start but managed only to hit the post through Alejandro Grimaldo’s left-foot shot in the 28th minute.
The Spaniard missed another good chance in the first half with Leverkusen clearly missing the offensive power of Victor Boniface.
The Nigerian, Leverkusen’s top scorer this season, was injured last week while preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations and will be out at least until April following adductor muscle surgery.
The visitors created chances for Jeremie Frimpong and Jonas Hofmann after the break and Augsburg, who did not have a shot on goal in the first half, threatened twice on the break.
The game looked to be heading for a goalless stalemate until Palacios stepped up to grab the winner.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)
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