LEVERKUSEN STAY TOP AS BAYERN SLIP DOWN TO FOURTH PLACE
In a hard-fought game Leverkusen overcame being down twice and
two times came from behind to get the expected three points
from their match against relegation candidate Nürnberg.
Meanwhile Bayern wasted a 2-0 lead and only got a point in the
end against an ultra-offensive Wolfsburg side. Kaiserslautern
and Dortmund capitalized moving past the Intercontinental Cup
Winners' with narrow wins over struggling Cottbus and Hamburg
respectively.
In other action the without a shadow of a doubt team of the
last two months Werder Bremen continued its' unparalleled tear
through the league with their 9th win out of the last 10 games
at relegation-bound St. Pauli.
All match reviews by Tim Leidecker <tim@milanmania.com> unless
otherwise stated.
9 DECEMBER 2001
FREIBURG 0-0 KÖLN
Pitch was incredibly hard to play on as one side was frozen, the
other half in relatively "normal" condition. Both teams created
half a dozen semi-chances but as none of them has a genuine goal
getter, the game ended in a goalless draw.
Attendance: 25,000 (sold out)
SCHALKE 0-0 HERTHA
Marcelinho went close with a nice 5th minute solo. Neuendorf, playing
in attack for the disappointing Preetz, headed Lapaczinski's cross
against the post. Lapaczinski dodged a longball but Fiedler made a
great save from Böhme's drive.
Attendance: 60,204 (sold out)
8 DECEMBER 2001
ST. PAULI 0-3 BREMEN
Skripnik 19 (Pen)
Aílton 55
Borowski 69
Werder were awarded a penalty for a clumsy Held handball, Skripnik
coolly converted. Bode tapped a Borowski centre against the post,
my granny would have scored from. Striker Marcão mis-hit Lisztes'
free kick in his own box, fellow Brasilian Aílton said "thank you"
by drilling a left-footed volley past Bulat. My namesake and much
sought-after U-21 midfielder Tim Borowski, playing for the useless
Verlaat (suspended) wrapped things up with a well-placed shot from
the edge of the box.
Assist: Bode
Attendance: 20,619 (sold out)
COTTBUS 0-2 KAISERSLAUTERN
Marschall 31
Lincoln 47
Miriuta went close with free kicks. 53-year-old former goalgetter
Olaf Marschall deflected Ramzy's distance shot decisively past
the 'keeper. Energie outdid themselves in wasting chances, then
Malz found Lincoln on the wing, he cruised into the box and hit a
technically perfect scoop shot past Piplica.
Assists: Ramzy, Malz
Attendance: 13,020
BAYERN MÜNCHEN 3-3 WOLFSBURG
Pizarro 11, 57 Maric 45, 72
Élber 18 Kühbauer 53
Worlfsburg coach Wolfgang Wolf (no pun intended) had the guts to
field 3 strikers (Petrov, Maric, Róbson Ponté) and 2 offensive
midfielders (Munteanu, Kühbauer) to start this game. Eventually
it should pay off... But Bayern struck first through Pizarro who
headed in Scholl's cross. Élber doubled the lead with a header
of his own, this time Liza providing an excellent cross.
Basically at the whistle which ended the first half Maric pulled
one back for the visitors with a nice turnaround shot from the
edge of the box. 8 minutes into the 2nd half "Didi" Kühbauer
levelled things with a mis-hit volley after Thiam cleared Munti's
corner straight down the middle.
Back came the Bayern: Élber played the ball into the run of his
partner in crime Pizarro, who was offside though, Claudio made
his way into the box before smashing a low shot past Reitmaier.
It was Wolfsburg which had the last say though: Rau fed Maric on
the edge of the area and he beat Wessels from an offside position
as well although with a beautifully curled shot.
Assists: Scholl, Lizarazu, Élber, Rau
Attendance: 37,000
DORTMUND 1-0 HAMBURG
Ricken 50
Pieckenhagen made a great save from Koller. Meijer rounded Lehmann
but Reuter cleared before the line. 5 minutes into the 2nd half
Lars Ricken scored the lone goal of the game turning in Wörns shot.
Hamburg would have deserved a point for a courageous and offensive
performance but were let down by pathetic finishing.
Dortmund move back into 2nd place in the standings on the back of
a club record 6-game winning streak.
Assist: Wörns
Attendance: 67,500
LEVERKUSEN 4-2 NÜRNBERG
Zé Roberto 28 Cacão 26, 59
Sebescen 62
Ballack 64
Neuville 84
A capital blunder gifted Nürnberg their first goal: Bastürk, instead
of calmly passing the ball to a teammate outside the box (which he
surely is capable of) wildly smashed it against Živkovic from where
it bounced to the feet of young Brasilian amateur Cacão who swept it
past Butt. Zé Roberto equalized only 2 minutes later from an acute
angle courtesy of Placente's through pass.
Nürnberg again took the lead in the 2nd half, again through Cacão:
After a good opening pass from Jarolim he took it to the Bayer "D"
before finishing with a well-placed shot from just outside the box.
Again only 3 minutes later Sebescen headed Leverkusen level from
Zé Roberto's corner. Ballack turned the game around completely
another 2 minutes later with another header from another corner.
Neuville put the icing on the cake with a rebound tap-in after
Kampa who was insecure all game long couldn't hold onto Ballack's
ten ton hammer free kick.
Assists: Placente, Jarolim, Zé Roberto, Neuville
Attendance: 22,500 (sold out)
STUTTGART 0-1 1860 MÜNCHEN
Dheedene 65
Meißner almost tore the post into pieces with a mighty 8th minute
volley! Ex-Anderlecht man Didier Dheedene scored the game-winner
after the ball luckily broke to him and he fired a left-footed
bullet past young Hildebrand. Ganea's finishing was once again
hilarious for Stuttgart.
Assist: Bierofka
Attendance: 21,000
MÖNCHENGLADBACH 0-2 ROSTOCK
Rydlewicz 15
Arvidsson 73
Rydlewicz gave Hansa the lead with a Sunday shot (on Saturday) from
22 meters. Korell was sent off for a last man foul on Wibrån.
Küntzel, a little overmotivated, brought down Arvidsson in the box,
Stiel saved Rydlewicz' spot kick but again Arvidsson banged in the
rebound with authority! Van Houdt could have won Gladbach the game
by double digits wasn't it for his pitiful finishing.
Assist: Beierle
Red Card: Korell 17 (Mönchengladbach)
Attendance: 24,600
Ciao,
Tim
tim@milanmania.com
http://milanmania.com
http://soccer-europe.com
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