Leverkusen beat Hamburg
March 14, 2010
Bayer Leverkusen kept their championship hopes alive on Sunday with a much needed win against fellow top-team Hamburg. On home turf, Leverkusen won 4-2, with a brace of goals fairy early in the second half turning the game decisively in their favor.
German international striker Stefan Kiessling opened the scoring after 22 minutes for Leverkusen, after being set clear by a wonderful pass from Tranquilo Barnetta. However, eleven minutes later goalie Rene Adler came to claim high ball, but only succeeded in colliding with veteran Sami Hyppia. Adler only parried the ball as far as Hamburg's Ze Roberto, who gratefully fired into the unprotected goal.
Ten minutes after the break Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok put Leverkusen back in front, and just after the hour mark, Kiessling grabbed his second of the game - and his 16th of the season - heading home from close range.
Hamburg did narrow Leverkusen's lead on 83 minutes, but it was too little, too late, and Leverkusen's Gonzalo Castro added a fourth just moments later, finally putting the match beyond doubt.
That win moves Leverkusen up to 53 points, still in third position, but only three points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich, and one point shy of second-placed side Schalke. Hamburg remain fifth in the table, but might be looking over their shoulders, given the result in Sunday's other fixture.
Bremen in range
It wasn't a similar feast of goals but Werder Bremen sealed a valuable 1-0 win in Hoffenheim during the earlier match of the day.
Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro - playing his 100th game for Bremen - scored a late winner, bagging three key points for a side still hoping to qualify for European competition. Pizarro latched on to a nice through pass from Daniel Jensen, and looped the ball over Hoffenheim keeper Timo Hildebrand.
Bremen now are within one point of fifth-placed Hamburg, and only three away from Borussia Dortmund in fourth. And with Bremen's attacking and open style, the team already has a superior goal difference than both the sides it's chasing.
Finishing in the top five in the Bundesliga would earn Bremen the reward of a spot in European competition next season.
msh/dpa/AFP
Editor: Andreas Illmer