No More Room at the Top
October 2, 2006
Schalke 04 missed the chance to go top of the German Bundesliga Sunday, crashing 3-1 at Bayer Leverkusen while in the day's other match Hertha Berlin drew 2-2 with VfB Stuttgart, enough to go top on goal difference.
Schalke went into the match knowing a win would take them three points clear of leaders Nuremberg, Werder Bremen and most importantly defending champions Bayern Munich, who suffered a second defeat in three Bundesliga games Saturday, losing 1-0 at VfL Wolfsburg.
Schalke coach Mirko Slomka said his side needed to show more consistency and his players agreed.
"We fell apart and that should not happen," said Schalke midfielder Fabian Ernst. "We are giving our all but it is not enough at the moment."
Bayern loss keeps league close
Disappointment seems to be the thread connecting all of the Bundesliga's pre-season favorites.
Bayern Munich suffered their second defeat in three Bundesliga games Saturday, going down 1-0 to VfL Wolfsburg while crisis-ridden SV Hamburg are still without a win after a draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Defending champions Bayern dominated for long periods of the match but fell behind to a surprise goal from German international Mike Hanke on 36 minutes. The result moves Wolfsburg out of the table basement and puts Felix Magath's side in fourth place on 10 points.
Nuremberg also have 10 points but sit top on goal difference thanks to a 1-1 draw at home against Mainz where they played the majority of the match with 10 men after Jawhar Mnari was sent off for a last-man foul on Chadli Amri.
Jan Polak made it 1-0 for Nuremberg, who also missed a penalty when Robert Vittek fired his spot kick straight at Mainz's Dimo Wache. Mainz didn't make the most of their extra-man advantage until five minutes before time, securing the draw on Christof Babatz's goal in the final minutes.
Bremen close gap, move into second
Last year's runners-up Werder Bermen moved up to second, also on 10 points, as three goals in the space of five first-half minutes secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Aaron Hunt opened the scoring for Thomas Schaaf's side on 33 minutes, tapping the ball home after Gladbach goalkeeper Casey Keller could only parry Naldo's stinging free kick.
Christian Schulz doubled the home side's lead two minutes later and Brazilian Diego made it finished the triple on 38 minutes with a well-struck free kick from just outside the area.
Hamburg's suffering continues
Considered a possibility to raise the championship trophy at the end of the season, Hamburg have now drawn five of their six Bundesliga matches this season, twice coming from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw.
Alexander Meier opened the scoring for unbeaten Frankfurt nine minutes before the break but Danijel Ljuboja levelled of 51 minutes, tapping home Alexander Laas' cross.
Frankfurt were back in front seven minutes through Ioannis Amanatidis but Boubacar Sanogo popped up on 69 minutes, heading in his fourth goal of the season to salvage a point for Hamburg.
Despite the point Thomas Doll's side are now third from bottom of the table without a win amid growing criticism of the decision to let go a string of high-profile players before the season kicked off.
In other action, newly promoted Alemannia Aachen continued their strong start to the season with a 2-1 home win over VfL Bochum while Arminia Bielefeld came from a goal down to defeat Energie Cottbus 3-1.
On Friday, Borussia Dortmund played out a 2-2 draw with Hanover 96.