German BundesLiga 2009/2010

[abadani69]

Hamburg beat Hertha Berlin, 2-1, on Saturday to move to within two points of Bayern Munich after the Bundesliga leaders were surprisingly held to a goalless draw at home by Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bastian Reinhardt hit the crucial goal for Hamburg 10 minutes from time after Patrick Ebert had looked to have earned the visitors a point by cancelling out Paolo Guerrero's early opener.

Werder Bremen remained hot on the heels of Hamburg following its 1-0 win over Hansa Rostock. Hugo Almeida struck the game's only goal six minutes before halftime.

Bayer Leverkusen was the day's biggest winners in the German top flight as it triumphed, 4-0, against Arminia Bielefeld.

The game was all but over at the interval following first-half goals from Sergei Barbarez and two from Theofanis Gekas, with Barbarez's second 10 minutes from the end sealing the rout.

A miserable week continued for cup holders Nurnberg as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to champions Stuttgart.

Hans Meyer's side, who went out of the DFB-Pokal to second division Carl-Zeiss Jena on Wednesday, were condemned to another loss by Mario Gomez's 25th-minute strike.

Hannover was 2-1 winners against Borussia Dortmund thanks to second-half goals from Szabolcs Huszti - from the penalty spot - and Christian Schulz.

Florian Kringe's effort 11 minutes from time proved nothing more than a consolation for the visitors.

On Friday night, Energie Cottbus picked up their first win of the season with a battling display in a 1-0 victory over Schalke.

Christian Bassila's 46th-minute strike was enough for the Bundesliga's bottom side in a scrappy affair in which both teams were guilty of some poor finishing.

The weekend's action concludes on Sunday when high-flying Karlsruhe hosts lowly Duisburg and Bochum meets Wolfsburg.

[abadani69]

Brief reports of Bundesliga matches played this weekend:

Played Sunday:

KARLSRUHE SC 1 MSV DUISBURG 0

Karlsruhe did just enough to claim their first win in three matches and climb back into the top four.

Captain Mario Eggimann put them in front with a header in the 29th minute. Duisburg's Bjoern Schlicke saw red for a foul in the box late on. That led to a penalty but Edmond Kapllani's weak effort was saved.

- - - - VfL BOCHUM 5 VfL WOLFSBURG 3

Bochum raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time and their victory was never in doubt despite a loss of concentration in the second period.

Stanislav Sestak headed the home side into the lead in the fourth minute and Marcel Maltritz soon made it 2-0 from the penalty spot.

Goals from Danny Fuchs and Sestak in the last three minutes of the first half effectively made the game safe for Bochum.

Marcel Schaefer and Grafite got Wolfsburg back to 4-2 early in the second half but Joel Epalle made it 5-2 and Grafite's second, in off the near post, came too late to pose Bochum problems.

- - - -

Played Saturday:

BAYER LEVERKUSEN 4 ARMINIA BIELEFELD 0

Sergej Barbarez and Theofanis Gekas scored two apiece as Leverkusen roared back to form for a first win in five league games.

Barbarez, the Bosnian forward, headed in the opening goal in the ninth minute and then set up the next two for Greek striker Gekas. Barbarez capped a brilliant personal display when he grabbed the fourth 10 minutes from time.

- - - -

BAYERN MUNICH 0 EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 0

Bayern created 38 goalscoring chances according to Premiere TV but Luca Toni, Franck Ribery and Miroslav Klose were all guilty of poor finishing as they failed to win at home for the first time all season.

- - - -

HAMBURG SV 2 HERTHA BERLIN 1

Hamburg made up further ground on leaders Bayern with this scrappy win -- their seventh successive league game without defeat.

Hamburg went ahead in the fourth minute when Paolo Guerrero followed up after a good save from the Hertha keeper but a fine finish from the left from Patrick Ebert gave the visitors an equaliser in the 59th minute.

Hertha looked comfortable in defence but Hamburg were rewarded in the 80th minute when Rafael van der Vaart whipped in a cross from the right and Bastian Reinhardt nodded in at the near post.

- - - -

HANOVER 96 2 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1

Hanover climbed into the European places by edging out Dortmund.

Szabolcs Huszti gave Hanover the lead with a penalty in the 54th minute, after a clear foul on Sergio Pinto, and Christian Schulz made it 2-0 with a header from a Jan Rosenthal cross in the 73rd.

Florian Kringe got one back six minutes later with a cross that drifted in at the far post.

- - - -

NUREMBERG 0 VfB STUTTGART 1

Stuttgart, the slowly improving champions, claimed a second successive win thanks to a brilliant goal from Mario Gomez.

The Germany striker chested the ball down with his back to goal and on the edge of the area in the 25th minute. He showed great skill and strength to turn past two defenders, then round the keeper and poke in a shot at the near post.

- - - -

WERDER BREMEN 1 HANSA ROSTOCK 0

Werder were well short of their fluent best but one excellent finish from Hugo Almeida was enough to edge them closer to leaders Bayern.

A couple of good chances had already gone before Leon Andreasen swung over a cross from the right and Almeida raced in at the near post to volley the ball in.

- - - -

Played Friday:

ENERGIE COTTBUS 1 SCHALKE 04 0

Cottbus won for the first time in the league this season to leave Schalke coach Mirko Slomka facing mounting pressure.

Schalke had chances, with Peter Lovenkrands twice missing after being put clean through on goal and Marcelo Bordon smacking a free kick against the bar, but Cottbus sealed victory when Christian Bassila swept in at the start of the second half.

[abadani69]

Bochum scored either side of halftime as Duisburg's miserable run of form continued on Friday.

Daniel Imhof got the ball rolling with a neat finish two minutes before the break and Tommy Bechmann completed the scoring with a close-range header late on.

It was a tough result on Duisburg, who started the game brightly and outshot their opponents comfortably, but once again they paid the price for wasteful finishing and lapse defending.

The result, Duisburg's fifth straight defeat at home, leaves Rudi Bommer's side 17th in the 18-team table and without a point from their last three games.

Bochum, meanwhile, climb a place to 12th after their second straight win - an outcome that did not seem likely early on.

Just eight minutes had passed when Duisburg's Christian Tiffert thundered a point-blank header at goal only for Rene Renno to make a superb reaction save, while Ailton's incisive pass had Marcel Maltritz grazing his own post with an interception five minutes later.

Manasseh Ishiaku then headed Ivica Grlic's superb cross over, Ailton blasted a clear opening wide in the 16th minute and Renno was forced to produce a brilliant save from Grlic's long-range effort five minutes later.

It was pulsating stuff from the hosts, but none of the chances went in and soon their defence gave away the initiative.

Joel Epalle was allowed to gather possession on the by-line and Duisburg keeper Tom Starke inexplicably chased out after him, leaving the goal open for Imhof to slot home his second of the season.

The tempo dropped after the break, and other than the soft effort Epalle poked wide there were few chances of note.

Duisburg seemed a beaten team though, so it was no surprise when Bechmann, on as a substitute, rose unmarked between two defenders and nodded Bochum's second in the 83rd minute.

[abadani69]

Brief reports of Bundesliga matches played this weekend:

ARMINIA BIELEFELD 3 NUREMBERG 1

Struggling Nuremberg took the lead two minutes before halftime with Andreas Wolf's short-range tap in but the Cup winners conceded three goals in the final half-hour for their fifth straight loss in all competitions.

Ruediger Kauf headed in the equaliser in the 64th before Poland's Artur Wichniarek doubled the lead in the 76th minute and South Africa's Sibusiso Zuma dashed any Nuremberg hopes of a late equaliser with his goal a minute into stoppage time.

- - - -

VFL WOLFSBURG 1 BAYER LEVERKUSEN 2

Switzerland's Tranquillo Barnetta pounced on a rebounded Stefan Kiessling shot that goalkeeper Simon Jentzch failed to hold in the 37th minute before Kiessling got his fourth goal of the season in the 52nd.

Wolfsburg got their goal in the 70th minute when Bayer defender Manuel Friedrich put the ball in his own team's net.

- - - -

Played on Saturday:

VFB STUTTGART 3 BAYERN MUNICH 1

Germany striker Mario Gomez scored twice and Turkey midfielder Yildiray Basturk grabbed his first goal for Stuttgart as the struggling champions surged into a 3-0 halftime lead.

Luca Toni pulled one back for the Bundesliga pacesetters with four minutes to go, tapping in his ninth league goal. Bayern's Brazil defender Lucio was sent off with 20 minutes left for elbowing Swiss defender Ludovic Magnin.

It was Bayern's first loss this season. - - - -

SCHALKE 04 1 HAMBURG SV 1

Schalke's Serbian defender Mladen Krstajic got his first goal of the season, beating marker Vincent Kompany to head in a free kick from Croatia playmaker Ivan Rakitic in the 12th minute.

Hamburg got a deserved equaliser 10 minutes before halftime when Paolo Guerrero lobbed a cross over keeper Manuel Neuer for striker Ivica Olic to score with a simple header.

- - - -

WERDER BREMEN 4 KARLSRUHE SC 0

Brazil midfielder Diego scored twice (25 and 45 minutes) before Hugo Almeida (66) and Naldo (76) doubled the margin for Werder, who bounced back from a 2-1 Champions League defeat at Lazio to climb into second place behind Bayern.

- - - -

BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1 EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 1

Florian Kringe got a deserved equaliser for Dortmund 10 minutes from time, beating Frankfurt's outstanding keeper Markus Proell by firing in a rebound from the left.

Greece striker Ioannis Amanatidis had given the visitors the lead against the run of play in the 55th minute with his fourth goal of the season.

- - - -

HANSA ROSTOCK 3 ENERGIE COTTBUS 2

Enrico Kern scored a hat-trick to lead promoted Rostock past bottom side Cottbus in the eastern derby and away from the relegation zone with their fourth victory.

Cottbus replied through Vragel da Silva and a late Ervin Skela strike but failed to build on their shock first victory of the season last week against Schalke 04.

- - - -

HERTHA BERLIN 1 HANOVER 96 0

Andre Lima got the winner three minutes from time by beating two defenders to the ball and tapping in a Malik Fathi cross, having replacing injured striker Marko Pantelic in the 35th.

At the end of a match played in intermittent snowfall, Hanover's Mike Hanke wasted a chance to grab an equaliser, heading wide of an open goal.

- - - -

Played on Friday:

MSV DUISBURG 0 VFL BOCHUM 2

Daniel Imhof and Tommy Bechmann scored in each half to move Bochum away from the relegation zone with a second straight win while Duisburg's fifth consecutive home defeat left them second from bottom with nine points from 13 matches.

[abadani69]

Brief reports of Bundesliga matches played this weekend:

HAMBURG SV 2 HANSA ROSTOCK 0

Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart scored his eighth goal of the season and Croatia striker Ivica Olic got his sixth. HSV's 13th straight win in all competitions helped them stay on the heels of league leaders Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen.

Van der Vaart took a pass from Dutch teammate Romeo Castelen on the right and got off a low angled shot across to the left corner in the 19th minute before Olic headed in a cross from Piotr Trochowski just past the hour.

- - - -

NUREMBERG 2 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0

German Cup winners Nuremberg ended a three-match league losing streak with just their third win from 14 matches this season to move to the top of the relegation zone, but are still two points from safety.

Czech midfielder Tomas Galesek (10) and Angelos Charisteas (90) got the goals for Nuremberg, who were down to 10 men after Markus Brzenska was sent off four minutes from time for his second yellow card with a hard tackle on Ivan Saenko.

- - - -

Played on Saturday:

BAYERN MUNICH 2 VFL WOLFSBURG 1

Bayern Munich bounced back from their first defeat in all competitions last time out in Stuttgart with France midfielder Franck Ribery leading an impressive attack for 70 minutes, setting up Miroslav Klose's ninth goal and scoring his third.

Bayern wobbled in the final 20 minutes after Ashkan Dejagah scored for Wolfsburg, firing a cross past Oliver Kahn into the top right. It was Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath's first trip back to Munich since he was sacked by Bayern in January.

- - - -

BAYER LEVERKUSEN 4 MSV DUISBURG 1

Bayer came from behind with four second-half goals after Youssef Mokhtari put the visitors ahead in the 11th minute.

Sergei Barbarez equalised with a header two minutes after the intermission before Simon Rolfes's fine volley (66). Paul Freier added a penalty (75) and Greece's Theofanis Gekas, who came on in the second half, got the fourth goal nine minutes from time.

- - - -

ENERGIE COTTBUS 0 WERDER BREMEN 2

Last-place Cottbus managed to hold second-place Werder to a goalless draw for more than an hour before Brazil playmaker Diego converted a controversial penalty in the 63rd minute, awarded after Markus Rosenberg went down in the box.

Werder, who host Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, were sorely missing injured striker Hugo Almeida as well as Boubacar Sanogo and Carlos Alberto, suspended by coach Thomas Schaaf for a fight in training on Thursday.

Colombia striker John Jairo Mosquera, 19, used his chance, scoring his first Bundesliga goal in the 83rd minute.

- - - -

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 1 VFB STUTTGART 4

Defending champions Stuttgart followed their 3-1 win against Bayern Munich with a come-from-behind win at Frankfurt, scoring three second-half goals.

Benjamin Koehler put Frankfurt ahead four minutes before halftime. Germany midfielder Roberto Hilbert equalised on 45 minutes. Romania striker Ciprian Marica (4, Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger (57) and Cacau (90+2) scored for Stuttgart.

- - - -

HANOVER 96 2 SCHALKE 04 3

Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi scored twice while Halil Altintop came off the bench to get his third goal of the season to help end Schalke's five-match winless run.

Hungary midfielder Szabolcs Huszti scored a penalty in the 17th minute before Kuranyi (41, 50) put Schalke in front. Huszti equalised in the 53rd with a long-range shot into the far corner before Altintop got the match winner just past the hour.

- - - -

VFL BOCHUM 3 ARMENIA BIELEFELD 0

Poland striker Marcin Mieciel scored twice in the first 15 minutes and Christoph Dabrowski made it 3-0 in the 55th minute to give Bochum their third straight victory.

- - - -

Played on Friday:

KARLSRUHE 2 HERTHA BERLIN 1

Tamas Hajnal equalised in the 56th minute with a splendid shot on the turn and 10 minutes later Sebastian Freis got the winner after Marko Pantelic had given visitors a deserved lead on the break in the 35th minute.

[abadani69]

Brief reports of Bundesliga matches played on Sunday:

ARMINIA BIELEFELD 0 BAYERN MUNICH 1

Franck Ribery was again superb, scoring his second key goal in two weeks to lead Bayern Munich back to first place after Werder Bremen had temporarily moved into first on Saturday.


Ribery caught up with a through ball from Luca Toni after outracing two Bielefeld defenders and rounded goalkeeper Mathias Hain at the right edge of the box before powering an angled shot into the vacant goal. It was his fourth goal for Munich.

Hain was later injured in a collision just before halftime with Miroslav Klose. He looked wobbly on his feet but finished the half before being taken to hospital with concussion.

- - - -

MSV DUISBURG 1 NUREMBERG 0

Captain Ivica Grlic took advantage of Nuremberg's failure to clear in the 72nd minute in the battle between two teams deep in the relegation zone. It was enough to end a four-match league losing streak and give the hosts their fourth win of the season.

- - - -

Played on Saturday:

WERDER BREMEN 2 HAMBURG SV 1

Werder Bremen capped a fine week after their 3-2 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Boubacar Sanogo scored for Werder on a through ball in the 15th minute against his former team mates. Rafael van der Vaart capitalised on a blunder from keeper Christian Vander for the equaliser. Werder went back ahead when Petri Pasanen's cross was deflected into the goal.

- - - -

ENERGIE COTTBUS 2 KARLSRUHE SC 0

Bulgaria defender Stanislav Angelov scored just past the hour and compatriot Dimitar Rangelov got his third goal of the season in the 75th minute to give Cottbus their second win in 15 matches and lift the eastern club off the bottom for a day.

But Duisburg got back ahead into 17th place after their win against Nuremberg on Sunday.

- - - -

HERTHA BERLIN 0 BAYER LEVERKUSEN 3

Bayer Leverkusen won their fourth in a row to move up to fourth place. Carsten Ramelow (31) scored from long range, Tranquillo Barnetta (50) tapped in a deflected free kick and Sergej Ramelow (90+1) scored for the visitors.

Germany midfielder Bernd Schneider, who was out for 10 weeks with injury, made his comeback for Leverkusen, playing the final 20 minutes. It was Hertha's third loss in the last four matches.

- - - -

SCHALKE 04 1 VFL BOCHUM 0

Schalke captain Marcelo Bordon headed in a corner from Ivan Rakitic in the 32nd minute for their third successive win, earning Schalke revenge in the derby after Bochum beat them 2-1 on April 27 costing Schalke last season's championship.

But Schalke were jeered by their home crowd after the final whistle for the modest effort that followed a 0-0 Champions League draw against 10-man Valencia on Wednesday.

- - - -

VFB STUTTGART 1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 2

Stuttgart's four-match league winning streak ended in a match which also finished a six-match winless string for Dortmund and should help coach Thomas Doll keep his job for now.

Croatia's Mladen Petric scored the winner 11 minutes from time, his seventh goal of the season. Nelson Valdez had put Dortmund in front in the 11th minute before Portugal's Fernando Meira headed in the equaliser in the 35th minute.

- - - -

VFL WOLFSBURG 2 EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 2

Wolfsburg led twice on goals from Christian Gentner (6) and Edin Dzeko (4 but still extended their winless run to four matches.

Chris (35) got the first equaliser on a Simon Jentzsch blunder, prompting coach Felix Magath to replace his goalkeeper at halftime with Andre Lenz. Michael Fink got the second equaliser four minutes after Wolfsburg went in front.

- - - -

Played on Friday:

HANSA ROSTOCK 0 HANOVER 96 3

Hanover 96 got three late goals in a four-minute flurry. Frank Fahrenhorst broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute, heading home after Szabolcs Huszti's free kick was deflected off the Rostock wall.

Germany striker Mike Hanke tapped in two minutes later after goalkeeper Stefan Waechter failed to hold on to a long-range effort from Gaetan Krebs and Jiri Stajner made it 3-0 a minute later when he knocked in a cross from Iran's Vahid Hashemian.

[abadani69]

Reports from Bundesliga matches played this weekend:

Played Sunday:

NUREMBERG 2 HERTHA BERLIN 1

Nuremberg climbed out of the relegation places, and dragged Hertha ever closer to trouble, with this victory.

The home side took the lead in the fifth minute through Angelos Charisteas and Zvjezdan Misimovic volleyed in the second six minutes before half-time.

Hertha gave themselves hope in the 65th minute when Marko Pantelic set up Fabian Lustenberger to bundle the ball in. - - - -

BAYER LEVERKUSEN 3 HANSA ROSTOCK 0

Fourth-placed Leverkusen made it five successive wins in the Bundesliga, and made up important ground on the leaders, with another confident display.

Karim Haggui headed on a corner to set up Simon Rolfes to put Leverkusen ahead in the fourth minute. Paul Freier put away a penalty given for a foul on Gonzalo Castro 10 minutes into the second half and Theofanis Gekas wrapped up the win in the 72nd minute. - - - -

Played Saturday:

BAYERN MUNICH 0 DUISBURG 0

Bayern looked devoid of ideas as they were held to a drab draw by a team that have not won this fixture in 40 years and came looking for a draw.

The closest Bayern came was a header from Martin Demichelis that flashed just wide early in the first half.

Mohamadou Idrissou was sent off for kicking Bayern keeper Oliver Kahn with 10 minutes to go but the home side could not take advantage. - - - -

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 2 SCHALKE 04 2

Schalke came from behind twice to snatch a draw from a bad-tempered game.

Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer looked at fault on both Frankfurt goals.

Faton Toski got the first four minutes after the break with a shot that went in off the keeper at the near post and after Heiko Westermann had headed the first equaliser Ioannis Amanatidis managed to squeeze in another weak shot. Schalke substitute Carlos Grossmueller ran from the bench to join an on-field scrap four minutes from time and earned a red card for his trouble but the visitors had the last laugh when Westermann's late goal earned them a point.

- - - -

HAMBURG SV 0 ENERGIE COTTBUS 0

Hamburg missed a great chance to close the gap on the leaders. An overhead kick from Paolo Guerrero that flashed just wide was the closest third-placed Hamburg came to a breakthrough. - - - -

HANOVER 96 4 WERDER BREMEN 3

Mike Hanke scored a hat-trick to deny Werder a victory that would have taken them top.

Markus Rosenberg put Werder ahead in the 10th minute before Hanover took control.

Hanke chipped in off a post for the equaliser before a careless own goal from Frank Baumann and a second from Hanke made it 3-1.

Werder stormed back with a Diego penalty -- which he had to take, and score, twice after the referee spotted an infringement -- and Rosenberg's second goal but Hanke completed his hat-trick 13 minutes from time.

Werder's frustration was obvious as Hugo Almeida was sent off in injury-time for tangling with Szabolcs Huszti. - - - -

VfB STUTTGART 3 VfL WOLFSBURG 1

Stuttgart hit back after last weekend's defeat by Borussia Dortmund to make up some ground on the leaders.

Ciprian Marica headed in after a flick-on from Fernando Meira in the 26th minute and Cacau turned in Stuttgart's second just after the break.

Edin Dzeko quickly got one back for Wolfsburg and there were a few nervous moments for Stuttgart before Thomas Hitzlsperger made the game safe three minutes from time. - - - -

VfL BOCHUM 2 KARLSRUHE 2

Karlsruhe continue to look by far the best of the promoted sides from last season after taking a point from this entertaining game.

Stanislav Sestak smacked a shot into the top corner to put the home side ahead in the 18th minute.

Tamas Hajnal equalised soon afterwards and Karlsruhe moved ahead in the 56th minute with a bullet header from Sebastian Freis.

Sestak got his second three minutes later to clinch a draw for Bochum. - - - -

Played Friday:

BORUSSIA DORTMUND 6 ARMINIA BIELEFELD 1

Dortmund ran riot with four goals in a 20-minute spell at the start of the second half of a one-sided Westphalia derby.

Dortmund took a 2-0 lead before the break with Tinga's early strike and an own-goal by Markus Schuler. Mladen Petric headed his eighth goal of the season from a Dede cross to make it 3-0 two minutes into the second period.

Nelson Valdez converted a penalty for the fourth before Florian Kringe slotted home right-footed from a Petric pass and Giovanni Federico made it 6-0 in the 67th minute.

Oliver ***ch's reply for Bielefeld in the 81st minute came as no consolation at all.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

Hamburg: Departing Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld insisted Sunday his tears were of pure joy when his side were confirmed as Germany’s league and cup double winners at the weekend.

Having spent a total of seven years at Bayern, whom he guided to the 2001 Champions League title, Hitzfeld leaves this summer to coach the Swiss national side and will be replaced by Jurgen Klinsmann in Munich on July 1. Saturday’s 4-1 hammering of Hertha Berlin on Saturday gave Hitzfeld his 14th German domestic title of his coaching career. He has won seven Bundesliga titles – five at Bayern and two at his previous club Borussia Dortmund – and he made no effort to hide his tears during a presentation before the Hertha game. “I let the tears flow,” he told German tabloid Bild’s Sunday edition. “They were tears of happiness and relief. All the pressure had gone. “It was all very moving, I am a sensitive human, but there was a huge relief, I have had also seven heavy years with all the pressure. “It all went in that one moment.

“And what a fantastic way to say goodbye to Bayern than with the double. “I wanted to go on a high note.” As Bayern fans sang “Ottmar Hitzfeld, you are the best man” at Munich’s Allianz Arena, Hitzfeld said his final season in charge had been his most demanding after the club invested 69 million euros last summer. “This season was pure tension from the start,” he said after stars like Luca Toni, Franck Ribery and Miroslav Klose were bought last summer. “Because of the huge investment, the pressure was immense. “All of us, including the executive committee, were under pressure.” Hitzfeld said his side proved they were the side to beat after a 4-0 win over their main league rivals Werder Bremen on the second weekend of the season. And Bayern’s double success was forged on a miserly defence, led by captain Oliver Khan, which set a new record of 21 for the least amount of league goals conceeded in a season. After 14 years at Bayern and 557 Bundesliga appearances, Kahn is quitting to become a television pundit next season.

The former Germany captain has been decribed by Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as “a major personality, the embodiment of the so-called ‘Bayern gene’”. “He’s one of the most important players of the last 10 years.” And Hitzfeld described Kahn as “a living legend.” “I’ve made my contribution at Bayern and tried to do the best job I can for all of the last 14 years,” said Kahn, who will make his final appearance for the German giants on their tour of Asia later this month. For the media, Kahn was always highly quotable and once famously bellowed “balls, we need more balls!” when asked what his side were lacking after a defeat by Schalke 04. “I’ve never disguised my true feelings about anything, regardless of whether it was popular,” said Kahn. “I wasn’t interested in weaselling my way through twenty years. I’ve always tried to form and express an opinion. “Sometimes I was wrong, sometimes I was right. I’ll admit I was stubborn in a number of tough situations.”

Ottmar Hitzfeld’s coaching titles:

(Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich)

Intercontinental Cup 2001

Champions League 1997, 2001

German League Championship 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2008

German Football Federation Cup 2000, 2003, 2008

League Cup 1998, 1999, 2000, 2007

Swiss League Championship 1990, 1991

Swiss Cup 1985, 1989, 1990

Oliver Kahn’s medals:

(Karlsruhe and Bayern Munich)

European Championship: 1996

Intercontinental Cup: 2001

Champions League: 2001

UEFA Cup: 1996

German League Championship: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008

German Football Federation Cup: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008

World Cup runner-up 2002, World Cup third place 2006. afp

[mautung]

wooo thanks!

[Rasputin]

German Bundesliga coaches unanimously predicted that Bayern Munich would defend its Bundesliga title when the new season kicks off August 15, news reports said Tuesday.

Hamburger SV coach Martin Jol stressed Bayern starts "every season as a league favorite."

Jol's statement was underscored by Schalke's new trainer Fred Rutten who said Bayern is "always favorite in the Bundesliga." Even Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann made clear anything less than winning a league title would be a disappointment.

[abadani69]

Stuttgart opened their bid to regain the Bundesliga crown it lost to Bayern Munich last season with an impressive 3-1 win at Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday.

The 2007 German champions, who could only manage a sixth-placed finish last season, built a comfortable advantage on goals from Thomas Hitzlsperger, Ciprian Marica and Mario Gomez.

Rob Friend pulled one back on the hour mark but Monchengladbach could not find a way back into the contest.

Hertha Berlin also enjoyed an away win with a 2-0 success at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Rafael put the visitors ahead two minutes before halftime and Patrick Ebert doubled the advantage on the hour mark.

[abadani69]

Wolfsburg came from two goals down Sunday to clinch a 2-2 draw away at Bochum and ensure they are one of six unbeaten teams in the Bundesliga after two games.

Stanislav Sestak recorded Bochum's first goal of the season in the 12th minute and Christoph Dabrowski doubled their lead five minutes into the second half.

However, Ricardo Costa gave Wolfsburg hope a minute later and Mahir Saglik completed the comeback in the 69th minute.

Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt claimed their first points of the season as they drew 1-1 at the Mungersdorfer Stadion.

Bundesliga new boys Hoffenheim picked up their second successive win to claim top spot in the standings while champions Bayern Munich remain winless after a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund.

Newly-promoted Hoffenheim continued their fine start to their maiden top-flight campaign with a 1-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

[abadani69]

Bayern Munich hammered Hertha Berlin, 4-1, to record its first league win under new boss Jurgen Klinsmann on Sunday.

Last season's top marksman Luca Toni opened the scoring in the 12th minute, before Philipp Lahm added the second nine minutes after halftime.

Bastian Schweinsteiger made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, before Miroslav Klose notched another spot-kick with 20 minutes remaining.

Marko Pantelic grabbed a consolation in the closing minutes as Hertha were completely outclassed by the reigning league champions.

Sunday's other game saw Mario Gomez continue his scoring form to inspire Stuttgart to a 2-0 home win against Hannover.

The striker scored twice in the midweek 4-1 win over Hungarian side Gyor to secure his side's qualification for the UEFA Cup proper, and was on target again at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion.

His 19th-minute effort set the hosts on their way and Pavel Pardo doubled the lead five minutes before halftime from the penalty spot.

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Szabolcs Huszti and Jan Schlaudraff both scored twice as Hannover hammered newly promoted Borussia Monchengladbach ,5-1, on Sunday.

It could have been worse for Monchengladbach as Huszti also missed a 28th-minute penalty, his effort easily saved by goalkeeper Christofer Heimeroth.

The Hungarian winger redeemed himself, though, by opening the scoring in the 32nd minute by slotting home from 12 yards.

Mikael Forssell setup the second goal by playing a magnificent through ball to striker Schlaudraff who neatly chipped Heimeroth to give Die Roten a comfortable lead.

The former Birmingham striker was the provider again two minutes after the interval when his cross picked out Huszti who fired home from 14 yards out.

Rolf Konigs' men pulled a goal back after 64 minutes when Alexander Baumjohann found Rob Friend who hammered the ball into the top-right corner of the goal.

However, any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 68th minute when Schlaudraff notched an outstanding individual goal to make it 4-1.

The former Bayern Munich forward picked up the ball on the left wing, beat five defenders before rifling an unstoppable strike into the top left corner from a tight angle.

Two-goal Huszti was brought down for a second penalty in the dying minutes, but unselfishly allowed Forssell to notch the resultant spot-kick and condemn Monchengladbach to an embarrassing defeat.

Bochum recorded their first win of the season in a drab affair at the Ruhrstadion as Arminia Bielefeld's misery on the road continued with a 2-0 defeat.

First-half goals from Marcin Mieciel and Marc Pfertzel gave the hosts a comfortable lead at the break and they were never in danger of conceding in a game of few clear-cut chances for either side.

On Saturday, Lukas Podolski scored on his return to Cologne as Bayern Munich secured a comfortable 3-0 win at the Mungersdorfer Stadion.

Goals from Luca Toni in the 53rd and 60th minutes gave Bayern a deserved lead before substitute Podolski sealed an emphatic win for Bayern in second-half stoppage time.

After defeating Hertha Berlin 4-1 two weeks ago, Jurgen Klinsmann's side appear to have hit form - after drawing their opening two games of the season - with a win that lifts them up to second in the Bundesliga table, just two points behind leaders Hamburg.

Hamburg took sole ownership at the top of the table as they came from two goals behind to defeat 10-man Bayer Leverkusen 3-2.

Tranquillo Barnetta (4) and Peter Helmes (27) gave the visitors a two-goal lead, but their hold on that advantage loosened before half-time with Paolo Guerrero (37) pulling a goal back before Manuel Friedrich was sent off.

And Hamburg fully cashed in on their numerical advantage with Croatia striker Ivica Olic drawing them level in the 51st minute before his countryman, Mladen Petric, fired the winner 20 minutes from time.

Schalke, who headed into Saturday's games level with Hamburg at the top, threw away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 away to Ruhr derby rivals Borussia Dortmund.

Schalke boss Fred Rutten had seen his side take a seemingly unassailable lead with Jefferson Farfan's 19th-minute penalty followed by goals from Rafinha (3 and Heiko Westermann (53).

From there the away side self destructed as Neven Subotic (66) and substitute Aleksander Frei (70) reduced the margin before Schalke's midfield duo Christian Pander and Fabian Ernst were both sent-off in the space of three minutes.

Dortmund's equaliser came from another moment of Schalke ill-discipline, as they conceded a 87th-minute penalty, which Frei duly netted.

Werder Bremen collected their first win of the season, but it was not as easy as the 3-0 scoreline suggested against Energie Cottbus.

Thomas Schaaf's side had to wait until the 75th minute to break the deadlock when their Brazil playmaker Diego found the mark.

Goals from Torsten Frings (80) and substitute Boubacar Sanogo (83) quickly followed to add gloss to the scoreline and condemn Cottbus to the foot of the table.

Sacha Riether's last-minute goal ensured Wolfsburg maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-2 draw away to Hertha Berlin.

Wolfsburg took the lead in the first minute when Ricardo Costa was on target, but Gojko Kacar equalised in the 57th minute.

Marko Pantelic missed the chance to put Hertha ahead when he spurned his penalty after 64 minutes, but it looked as though his blushes would be spared when Santos Cicero netted five minutes from time.

It was not to be, however, as Riether equalised late on to give Wolfsburg their third draw from four games.

In Saturday's only other game, Hoffenheim and Stuttgart shared a goalless draw in Mannheim.