Bundesliga News: Week Eight
October 18, 2004
VfL Wolfsburg have sat proudly at the Bundesliga summit for almost a month, but a 3-0 mauling at Hannover on Sunday saw that run come to an abrupt end. A brace from Silvio Schröter, in the seventh and 64th minutes, and a late strike from Daniel Stendel handed Wolves their second loss of the season and they now lie two points adrift of new leaders VfB Stuttgart.
Off-kilter
The German top flight has an odd look to it with Wolfsburg second and promoted Mainz 05, enjoying their first ever Bundesliga season, in third spot above Bayern Munich.
The 1983 European champions SV Hamburg are bottom while the 2002 German champions Borussia Dortmund are 13th.
Controversial referee decision
In Sunday's other match, Borussia Mönchengladbach moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 home triumph over Kaiserslautern.
Forward Oliver Neuville pushed his claim for a recall to the German national team netting his seventh and eighth goals of the campaign to head the scoring charts.
Kaiserslautern were livid at referee Uwe Kemmling for Neuville's first goal in the 53rd minute with the striker clearly using his hand to guide the ball in.
"It was not intentional but the referee did not see it and we won 2-0," Neuville said.
Both teams were reduced to 10 men three minutes after the controversial goal as emotions spilled over. Neuville grabbed his second in the 78th minute, while Leverkusen have netted 14 goals in eight matches but have shipped in the same tally.
Weekend overview
Further weekend Bundesliga results included defending champions Bremen shocked by 2-1 by suprise team Mainz; Bayern also slipped up, losing 1-0 at home to Schalke. Rostock won at Bochum and Berlin continued their improvement with a big victory over Leverkusen (pictured).
Coach Klaus Toppmöller was given his marching orders after Hamburg went down at home to Bielefeld, replaced by former German international Thomas Doll, who was coaching Hamburg's amateur squad.
Stuttgart, meanwhile, maintained its winning streak after a victory over Dortmund, and Nuremberg beat Freiburg.