Leverkusen's Bundesliga Title Hopes Fade After St. Pauli Draw

Bayer Leverkusen’s hopes of defending their Bundesliga title suffered a major setback after a 1-1 draw at St. Pauli, leaving them eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich with four games remaining. Leverkusen went ahead through Patrik Schick in the first half, but St. Pauli equalized in the 78th minute after a goalkeeping error from Lukas Hradecky allowed Carlo Boukhalfa to score. The result means Bayern Munich now need just five points from their remaining matches to secure the title and could clinch it as early as next week if Leverkusen lose. Leverkusen, last season’s unbeaten champions, have struggled to maintain their form this year, often dropping points from winning positions. The draw also extended Leverkusen's unbeaten away run, bringing them close to Bayern's all-time league record, but it was little consolation as their title defense is now all but over. Meanwhile, St. Pauli gained crucial points in their battle against relegation.