Match Day 29: Bundesliga Report

Hanover 0 Bayern 1

The big question was how would Bayern Munich cope with the disappointment of being knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea in midweek. According to German media reports the Bayern players have been bickering bitterly and levelling accusations at each other.

Coach Felix Magath admitted Saturday that he had held talks with German international goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and French full back Willy Sagnol over their war of words that followed the midweek defeat. Well, there is still domestic silverware for Bayern.

On Saturday they travelled to mid-table Hanover and nobody could have foreseen the drama that was to happen after a dull 90 minutes....Hanover's defence had stood firm for the whole game with Bayern lacking the imagination to open them up.

When the news came through that Schalke, Bayern Munich's closest challengers had gone 2-1 down at home to Hamburg the away point was looking good enough. But their midfielder Owen Hargreaves had other ideas and in the last minute of the match let fly from 20 yards to score a spectacular winner virtually handing Bayern their 19th Bundesliga title.

Schalke1 Hamburg 2

Schalke knew they could not afford another defeat if they wanted the Bundesliga crown. Gerald Asamoah, who was sorely missed, was back and it was he who put Schalke 1:0 up. However, Rafael Wicky suddenly equalized for Hamburg and it was looking like a disappointing home draw for Schalke...when Emile Mpenza, Hamburgs Belgian striker, challenged a long ball to score a vital goal against his former club three minutes from time ...another massive disappointment for the 60,000 Schalke crowd. Surely their title challenge is over now.

Rostock 2 Stuttgart 1

Coming into this match, Stuttgart had faint hopes of putting in a title challenge, however, Swedish strikers Marcus Allbäck and Rade Prica twice put Rostock ahead with Brazilian Cacau scoring in between the match.

Mönchengladbach 1 Mainz 1

Dick Advocaat, Mönchengladbachs beleagured Dutch coach was hoping his side would hang on to their 1-0 lead through Oliver Neuville...but in the last minute Michael Thurk got the equalizer for Mainz sending their coach Jürgen Klopp into a frenzy of joy as he raced across the pitch to congratulate the scorer.

Dortmund 1 Bielefeld 1

Florian Kringe put Dortmund ahead but Bielefeld on this afternoon of late goals did not want to be outdone and Ghanian striker Isaac Boakye equalized close to the end.

Freiburg 1 Leverkusen 3

Goals by Schneider and two by Dimitar Berbatov gave Leverkusen their victory against lowly Freiburg whose goal was scored by Georgian Alexander Iaschwili.

Werder Bremen 0 Hertha Berlin 1

Berlin's Brazilian Marcelinho was making the headlines this week because of his wild mid-week partying....But inevitably it was Hertha's flambouyant striker who scored against Bundesliga champions Bremen to give Hertha the three points.

Standings
1 Bayern 62
2 Schalke 56
3 Stuttgart 54

16 Bochum 26
17 Rostock 26
18 Freiburg 17