Leverkusen stun Stuttgart to stay in Bundesliga title hunt

The match started at a fast pace, and Stuttgart broke the deadlock in the 15th minute when Ermedin Demirovic was quickest to pounce on a rebound and calmly slot home after goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky had initially denied Jamie Leweling.

Stuttgart doubled its lead shortly after the break. Nick Woltemade combined well with Enzo Millot before finishing with composure and precision past Hradecky, Reports Xinhua.

Jeremie Frimpong threw Leverkusen a lifeline in the 56th minute when he collected a loose ball on the edge of the area and unleashed a low drive into the bottom corner.

Stuttgart restored its two-goal advantage six minutes later. A dangerous cross from the right was deflected by Granit Xhaka, catching Hradecky wrong-footed.

Leverkusen once again showed its comeback qualities as Piero Hincapie nodded in from close range to make it 3-2 and set up a thrilling finale in the 68th minute.

Stuttgart suddenly looked nervous as Leverkusen pressed forward. The equalizer came in the 88th minute when Victor Boniface whipped in a cross that Angelo Stiller turned into his own net under pressure.

With all the momentum in its favour, Leverkusen stormed forward in search of a winner, and it came deep into stoppage time. Frimpong whipped in a pinpoint cross from the right and Schick rose highest to power a header past goalkeeper Alexander Nubel.

With the win, Leverkusen has closed the gap on Bayern Munich to six points with eight rounds to play. Stuttgart, meanwhile, will be left to rue its fifth successive game without a win.

"It's a very, very important win for us. There are still eight games to go, a lot can happen," said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.

Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt cements its fourth place in the table after beating relegation-threatened Bochum 3-1, and Heidenheim moved past Holstein Kiel 3-1 in a clash of bottom sides.