Union Berlin slumped to a 1-0 loss at Augsburg on Saturday to drop to fourth place in the Bundesliga with three matches remaining, putting its Champions League participation next season at risk.
Union has enjoyed its best ever campaign but with only one win in its last five league games it is fourth in the standings on 56 points, one behind RB Leipzig, 1-0 winners over Freiburg who is fifth on 56.
Union faces Freiburg next week in its battle for a top-four finish that leads to next season’s Champions League group stage.
The visitors were sharper in the first half, going close with two Kevin Behrens headers but it was Augsburg who broke the deadlock eight minutes after the restart.
Ruben Vargas floated a sumptuous cross into the box and Dion Beljo volleyed home with the hosts’ first chance of the second half.
Union had possession and tried to find an equaliser but could not carve out a single clear scoring chance against a solid Augsburg backline.
Bayern Munich, top on 62 points, take on Werder Bremen later on Saturday. Second-placed Borussia Dortmund, on 61, host VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday.
