Unbeaten Leverkusen held by Hertha in stalemate

Berlin (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen missed the chance to go second in the Bundesliga with a 0-0 draw at home to Hertha Berlin as Jamaica forward Leon Bailey’s four-game scoring streak came to an end on Sunday.

In-form winger Bailey has found the net five times in his last four games for Leverkusen in all competitions, but he and his colleagues were left frustrated on Sunday as Hertha took a hard-earned point back to the German capital.

Leverkusen had scored 18 goals in their previous five matches, but their in-form attack was held at bay by a suffocating Berlin defence on Sunday.

Both Bailey and Kerem Demirbay tested goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow with long-range efforts in the first half, while Dodi Lukebakio twice came close for Hertha at the other end.

Lars Bender almost snatched a late winner for Leverkusen when he flicked Demirbay’s free-kick past the post from six yards out.

A win would have seen Leverkusen move to within a point of league leaders Bayern Munich. Instead, they remain in third behind Bayern and RB Leipzig.

Hertha, who have earned just eight points in their first nine games, will hope to put their season back on course with a win in next Friday’s derby against high-flying cross-city rivals Union Berlin.