BERLIN —
BERLIN (AP) — Darmstadt was relegated from the Bundesliga on Sunday after losing 1-0 at home to promoted Heidenheim.
Darmstadt, which finished second behind second division champions Heidenheim last year, remained last in the Bundesliga with just 17 points from 31 rounds. They cannot catch up with Mainz (28 points) in the relegation playoff position with only three rounds left.
Heidenheim striker Nikola Dovedan scored in the last minute to confirm the home team’s fate. Darmstadt needed a win to have any hope of somehow escaping the club’s fourth relegation from Germany’s top league.
Darmstadt has only won one home game all season.
Some Darmstadt fans left after Dovedan’s goal, but most stayed to console the players after the final whistle.
COLONY SAVES A POINT
Florian Kainz scored a penalty in added time to improve Cologne’s salvation hopes with a 1-1 draw against Mainz.
Leandro Barreiro’s first-half goal put Mainz on course to climb out of the relegation zone, relegate Darmstadt ahead of their subsequent match and leave second-to-last Cologne with little hope of escaping the drop.
But Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner was penalized for a dangerous collision with Cologne striker Sargis Adamyan while trying to clear a cross. A VAR review confirmed the penalty decision and Kainz took advantage of Cologne’s second chance from the penalty spot.
Luca Waldschmidt missed another Cologne penalty early in the second half when he sent it wide of the right post.
TIE SAIN GOALS
Borussia Mönchengladbach and Union Berlin drew 0-0 to each earn a point in their bid to survive in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Kevin Volland hit the crossbar and post for the visiting Union, who ended their three-game losing streak, but were left wanting to end their five-match winless streak.
