BERLIN, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Substitute Emiliano Buendia struck in the first minute of stoppage time to give Bayer Leverkusen a last-gasp 1-0 win away at Heidenheim on Saturday, keeping the Bundesliga title race alive.

Leverkusen entered the match under pressure following their midweek German Cup semifinal exit at the hands of third-division Arminia Bielefeld. Xabi Alonso made three changes to his lineup, but the visitors struggled to shake off the effects of that defeat. Heidenheim, fighting to steer clear of relegation danger, looked the more determined side for much of the game.

The hosts dominated the first half and came closest to scoring when Benedikt Gimber hit both the crossbar and post in the 26th minute. Marvin Pieringer also threatened with two chances, while Leverkusen was largely limited to a single long-range effort from Amine Adli. Despite Heidenheim's attacking pressure, the match remained goalless at halftime.

Leverkusen improved slightly in the second half but continued to lack precision in the final third. Patrik Schick and Arthur were brought on to inject some urgency, but Heidenheim stayed compact. A goalless draw seemed likely until Buendia, who had only been on the pitch for less than 15 minutes, made the difference.

Receiving a pass from Jonas Hofmann at the edge of the box, the Argentine cut inside and curled a perfect shot past goalkeeper Kevin Muller and in off the post. It was his first Bundesliga goal and just Leverkusen's second shot on target.

The result keeps Leverkusen six points behind Bayern Munich with six games to go. Alonso's side took three vital points on a weekend where anything less could have proved costly.

"It was another emotional match until the very end," said head coach Xabi Alonso. "After Tuesday, we needed something to celebrate, and we can definitely celebrate these three points."

Elsewhere, third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt lost further ground on the top two after a 2-0 defeat at Werder Bremen. Fourth-placed Mainz missed out on a chance to close the gap as it was held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Holstein Kiel. RB Leipzig returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over ten-man Hoffenheim. Borussia Dortmund recorded a crucial 4-1 win away at Freiburg, while Stuttgart crushed relegation-threatened Bochum 4-0. Enditem

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