A stunning last-gasp goal by striker Riccardo Orsolini gaveBolognaa 1-0 home win againstInterin Serie A on Sunday in a blow to the visitors’ hopes of retaining their title.
Treble-chasing Inter stayed top of the standings with 71 points after 33 games but second-placed Napoli are now level on points with the leaders after securing a late 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Monza on Saturday.
Orsolini sealed the three points for the hosts in stoppage time with a superb bicycle kick after Bologna’s long throw-in was flicked on by an Inter defender and fell kindly for the striker.
Bologna remain strong contenders to qualify for the Champions League as they provisionally moved up to fourth on 60 points, one point above Juventus who visit lowly Parma on Monday.
Both teams had one attempt on target each until late in the game, in a match low on chances and intensity. The encounter became more nervy after the break and Bologna manager Vincenzo Italiano was sent off, as was Inter’s assistant coach Massimiliano Farris.
The match looked set to end in a draw before substitute Orsolini produced a brilliant winner, scoring his 12th league goal of the season. He is now level in the scorers’ chart with Inter striker Lautaro Martínez and Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku.
EmpoliandVeneziaplayed out a result that will have disappointed both sides – they drew 2-2 to leave both clubs in the relegation zone. All four goals came in the second half, with Jacopo Fazzini opening the scoring for the hosts just before the hour mark, before John Yeboah equalised forVeneziaeight minutes later.
The visitors then threatened to secure a vital victory thanks to Gianluca Busio firing home a rebound from close range, with only five minutes of regular time remaining. However, within two minutes the scores were level, as Tino Anjorin arced a right-footed shot in from an angle on the edge of the box forEmpoli.
The two sides are now one point from safety behind fourth-bottom Lecce, although they each boast superior goal difference. Empoli are still to play fifth-bottom Parma – who sit three points ahead of them – at home.
In the Bundesliga, reigning championsBayer Leverkusenslipped up with a 1-1 draw atSt Paulito drop eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich as their slim hopes of defending their title were all but ended.
Second-placed Leverkusen, who won the domestic league and Cup double last season without defeat, conceded a 78th-minute equaliser. They now have 64 points after 30 matches, with Bayern top on 72 after their 4-0 win over Heidenheim on Saturday.
Forward Patrik Schick headed in an Álex Grimaldo free-kick to give Leverkusen a 33rd-minute lead for the visitors with his 18th league goal of the campaign.
However, they could not score again andSt Pauligradually fought their way back, levelling in the 78th after goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky failed to gather the ball from a weak free-kick, spilling it into the path of Carlo Boukhalfa, who tapped in.
Borussia Dortmundstruck three times in nine first-half minutes to battle past visitingBorussia Mönchengladbach3-2 in the Bundesliga, and keep their slim hopes of a top four finish alive with four matches left to play.
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Only five days after their Champions League exit to Barcelona despite a 3-1 quarter-final second leg win, Dortmund came from a goal down to bag the win that lifted them to seventh on 45 points, four off fourth spot, the last place to offer automatic Champions League qualification.
The hosts had complete control at the start with more than 70% possession and two good chances before Gladbach struck against the run of play with Ko Itakura in the 24th minute.
The Japanese, however, allowed Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy too much space in the box four minutes before the break to drill in from a Pascal Gross cutback.
Only three minutes later in an almost identical move it was Felix Nmecha who slotted in to put them in front before Daniel Svensson headed in on the rebound deep in first-half stoppage time. Gladbach pulled a goal back with a Kevin Stöger penalty in the 56th but Dortmund held on for their third league win in the last four games.
In Ligue 1, Canada striker Jonathan David scored two goals and set up the other asLillebeatAuxerre3-1 to maintain their push for a Champions League place.
Belgium right-back Thomas Meunier gaveLillean early lead after being found by David, who then scored close to half-time in the first half with a clinical snap effort.After an own-goal from Brazilian defender Alexsandro made it 2-1, David ran through deep into stoppage time and held off defenders before grabbing his 16th league goal of what is likely to be his final season at Lille.Victory was soured by a freakish injury to goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, who was accidentally bumped into by Alexsandro when the defender scored the own-goal.“He has two or three broken teeth,” Lille head coach Bruno Genesio said. “He was angry about it and I can understand. He’ll go to the dentist this week.”
This story will be updated