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Leverkusen (dpa) - Shooting star Florian Wirtz secured Bayer Leverkusen at least the Europa League consolation prize two weeks after his Abitur exams.
For the surprise team from Union Berlin, the Conference League is suddenly within reach.
The exceptional talent Wirtz, only of legal age since May 3rd, scored the opening goal (27th) in the happy 1: 1 (1: 0) of Leverkusen against pursuers Union on the penultimate match day.
Union made up for it with the Bayer loan of Joel Pohjanpalo (72nd).
The point was enough for Bayer because of the simultaneous mistake by Borussia Mönchengladbach (1: 2 against Stuttgart) to secure sixth place before the season finale at Borussia Dortmund and to save a tremor game.
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Union meanwhile passed Gladbach and started the long-distance duel on the last day of the match with one point ahead of Borussia.
The Eiserne receive Leipzig second in the table, the Gladbachers have to compete in the relegation candidate Bremen.
Before the game, Bayer said goodbye to the Bender twins Lars and Sven.
The two 32-year-old ex-national players will end their careers after the season.
While Sven came on as a substitute in stoppage time on Saturday, Lars will no longer play due to injury.
The long-time captain, who will be named the club's seventh honorary captain, played his last Bundesliga game on January 23.
Bayer were missing three players due to injuries compared to the 0-0 win in Bremen the previous week: Leon Bailey, Dailey Sinkgraven and Ezequiel Palacios.
Among the guests, Pohjanpalo had to give way to the fully recovered Max Kruse and initially only sat outside.
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A lively game developed in which both played forward, both had chances and both cheered quite early - but both in vain.
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick had taken the ball with his hand before the shot on goal (7th), in front of von Kruse's assists Robert Andrich was offside (21st).
Even with Wirtz's goal it was a matter of centimeters, but when Wendell shot the 18-year-old at the far post was barely in the punishable zone. Never in the history of the Bundesliga has a player scored his sixth goal younger. Overall, Union was at least equal before the break, which was also documented by 8: 4 shots on goal for the Iron.
Even after the change, the guests pressed.
After 54 minutes, coach Urs Fischer brought Pohjanpalo, who scissored seconds later in the penalty area, but missed the ball.
The Leverkusen were actually only dangerous by counterattacks, which they played too unclean.
And then Pohjanpalo did punish his actual colleagues.
Finnish national team colleague Lukas Hradecky parried his header, but the margin was there.
Pohjanpalo waived the goal celebration.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210515-99-610563 / 2
Information about the game at bundesliga.de