Imagine an exiting football season. Now double that excitement. And now add a mind-boggling plotline à la Lost. Not even close. This Bundesliga season is simply incomprehensibly and inconceivably incredible. So incredible, in fact, that after a rollercoaster ride of a season, with just two games left to play; four teams at the top are separated by just two points.

As usual, we began the season knowing Bayern Munich would win all along. But then we toyed with the idea that hyper-hyped newbies 1899 Hoffenheim could do it. They were top at the half way point, played great football, but proceeded to drop quicker than Christiano Ronaldo in the penalty area. Then when Bundesliga dinosaurs Hamburg went top, we thought they could win it too.

But their stint at the top did not last long. Suddenly, Hertha BSC Berlin went four points clear at the summit and fans began to notice that there was a decent team in Germany’s capital. Yet quicker than they could say “Meisterschaft”, they had blown their lead and it was Wolfsburg’s turn to lead the pack. They even destroyed Bayern Munich 5-1 and remain at the top to this day. Suddenly they became favorites, but Bayern Munich have whittled their lead down to two goals –or effectively three, as Wolfsburg have scored more. And to make things even more interesting, with just two games to play, VfB Stuttgart have hauled themselves up to within 2 points of leaders Wolfsburg and are in with a shout too. Particularly as they play Bayern away on the final day of the season.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, all of those top four teams played and won to keep the possibility of a multi-stadium thriller alive going into the final day of the season.

Bayern win, but get lucky refereeing break

Bayern Munich played Bayer Leverkusen at home, winning 3-0. The score line, however, flattered stand-in coach Jupp Heynckes’ team, as Leverkusen dominated the first half with ease and were denied what Germany’s daily tabloid the Bild described as “two clear cut penalties” (1:20 in) . The newspaper helpfully provided fuel for all those fans who believe Bayern are constantly helped along by referees and asked, “Will these mistakes help decide the champion in favor of Bayern?”

Even referee Kinhöfer admitted, “You can give the first one and the second one was definitely a penalty. You can’t perhaps give it, you simply have to.” Leverkusen’s manger Rudi Völler chose a more eloquent approach when asked if his team should have had two penalties. “Whoever says anything else has got tomatoes on their eyes!”

Wolfsburg forwards strike again

Top-of-the-table VfL Wolfsburg took on Dortmund at home, who had lost the least amount of matches in the season (4) and were on a seven-game winning streak. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, were still licking their wounds after a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Stuttgart. And the match could have taken a similar course had Swiss international Alexander Frei shown more accuracy in the 11th minute, when he lobbed the ball over his international team colleague Diego Benaglio. Unfortunately for Frei, he also lobbed it right over something else important – the bar.

Just three minutes after the let-off, Wolfsburg took the lead with their first constructive move of the game when Edin Dzeko finished off a fluid attacking move. Dortmund continued to dominate and were denied a good penalty shout. In the second half, however, Wolfsburg picked themselves up and started dictating play. Two more goals followed, including another one for Dzeko and a Grafite goal, taking their tallies to 22 and 24 respectively.

Berlin and Stuttgart remain in pouncing position

Third-placed Hertha BSC Berlin had an away trip to Cologne to master. They came away with a flattering 1-2 victory, after 1 FC Köln had the lion’s share of possession and goal opportunities. It was a deflected Patrick Ebert shot, that put Berlin 0-2 up after 53 minutes and laid the foundations for Berlin’s win. Cologne’s goal came in the dying seconds, which was simply too late.

Meanwhile, fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart had a potentially tricky trip away in Gelsenkirchen against Schalke 04. Without the previous game’s four-goal hero Mario Gomez, who was out injured, Stuttgart still looked the better side and took the lead early off a Cacau long-rage shot (15. min.). Croatian international Ivan Rakitic equalized with an impressive freekick in the 39th minute, but Gomez stand-in Marica managed to tap in the winner, after Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer had spilled a Thomas Hitzlsperger shot.

Relegation battle

Down at the bottom of the table, the fight for survival registered its first casualty. Karlsruhe SC were bottom of the table, four points and a ton of goals off a safe spot going into the game. Basically, only a win would keep any slim hopes of staying up alive. And they got off to a good start against Hannover 96, going 2-0 up inside 32 minutes. But Hannover recovered and scored two goals in quick succession equalizing before halftime.

The clock showed 64 minutes when Hano Balitsch put the nail in Karlsruhe’s coffin. Try as they might, they could not overturn the deficit and the players and fans looked a picture of abject disappointment, as they all knew the 2-3 defeat effectively means relegation.

The other nail-biter at the bottom was between Energie Cottbus in 17th position and Borussia Mönchengladbach in 15th position, only above the perilous 16th and 17th spots on goal difference. Gladbach were in fact only in non-relegation league position due to a 90th minute winner against Schalke 04 in their previous game. And this match against Cottbus looked much the same. Two cagey teams and little goal-mouth action. That is, until the 90th minute.

Gladbach put in a corner from the right and their Brazilian centerback Dante rose to meet the ball with a header. The ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced down behind the line. The Gladbach players were ecstatic. They had just pulled off an unbelievable escape for the second game running.

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Results

Bayern München – Bayer Leverkusen 3:0
Karlsruher SC – Hannover 96 2:3
1. FC Köln – Hertha BSC Berlin 1:2
VfL Wolfsburg – Borussia Dortmund 3:0
Eintracht Frankfurt – Werder Bremen 0:5
FC Schalke 04 – VfB Stuttgart 1:2
Hamburger SV – VfL Bochum 3:1
Energie Cottbus – Borussia Mönchengladbach 0:1
Arminia Bielefeld – 1899 Hoffenheim 0:2

Table

1VfL Wolfsburg  63 P
2 Bayern München  63 P
3 Hertha BSC Berlin  62 P
4 VfB Stuttgart   61 P
5 Hamburger SV  58 P
6 Borussia Dortmund  55 P
7 1899 Hoffenheim  51 P
8 FC Schalke 04  49 P
9 Bayer Leverkusen  46 P
10 Werder Bremen  45 P
11 Hannover 96  39 P
12 1. FC Köln  35 P
13 Eintracht Frankfurt  33 P
14 Borussia Mönchengladbach  30 P
15 VfL Bochum  28 P
16 Arminia Bielefeld  27 P
17 Energie Cottbus  27 P
18 Karlsruher SC  23 P