Bayern blast blows Bayer Bundesliga bid

HAMBURG, FEBRUARY 10: Bayer Leverkusen had built themselves up as German Bundesliga title contenders, but leaders and defending champions ...

HAMBURG, FEBRUARY 10: Bayer Leverkusen had built themselves up as German Bundesliga title contenders, but leaders and defending champions Bayern Munich handed them a dose of reality on Thursday with a 4-1 drubbing at Munich’s Olympic Stadium.

In the battle of table toppers, Bayern continued their dominance over their neighbours to the north, who have not won in Bayern since October 21, 1989, to take possession of first place in the league with 40 points. They are three points ahead of Bayer and five more than third-placed SV Hamburg.

Torben Hoffman’s own goal less than two minutes into the game dropped Leverkusen behind 1-0, and Christoph Daum’s team was not able to recover.

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Bayern could get little going in their set offense but were able to execute the counter attack to perfection, adding three goals through Stefan Effenberg (45), Mehmet Scholl (56) and Alexander Zickler (90).

Leverkusen pulled one back through Michael Ballack’s free-kick in the 61st minute, but the game had long beendecided.

Hamburg, meanwhile, stayed on pace with Bayern through their 3-1 victory at VFB Stuttgart. Anthony Yeboah scored a double (60/66) and Mehdi Mahdavikia added a last-minute insurance goal for HSV, who took their first victory in Stuttgart in 16 years — since May 26, 1984.

HSV gained ground on Leverkusen but more importantly, pulled to six points clear of their chasers as only two points — between 29 and 27 — separate fourth and 11th places.

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Stuttgart, who ended the first half with two straight wins, have opened the second half with consecutive defeats to remain in the middle of the pack in ninth place.

Borussia Dortmund hold the invaluable sixth and final spot for European action next season on 28 points even though they lost 1-0 at Wolfsburg in Bernd Krauss’ coaching debut for Dortmund three days he replaced Michael Skibbe.

Juergen Rische scored the game’s only goal just before the half for Wolfsburg, who controlled the game throughout. Wolfgang Wolf’s Wolfsburg squad are now 10th on 27points after two straight victories.

Eintracht Frankfurt defeated a 10-man SC Freiburg 2-0 at home for Felix Magath’s first win at the helm of Frankfurt, who are still in the relegation with 14 points after 19 matches.

Feyenoord’s Spirited Rally

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AMSTERDAM: Feyenoord came from 0-2 down in the final quarter of an hour to beat Fortuna Sittard 3-2 in the Dutch first division on Wednesday.

The win lifted them to second in the table, two points behind PSV Eindhoven who face Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday. Fortuna went ahead in the seventh minute, Robert Roest converting a penalty after winger Peter Van Vossen had brought down Ralf Landerl.

Two minutes into the second half, Fortuna, whose coach Bertvan Marwijk joins Feyenoord next season, stunned the champions again when Dennis Krijgsman made it 2-0.

It took Feyenoord until the 76th minute to haul themselves back into the game. Paul Bosvelt cut through the opposing defence to net from close range.

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Coach Leo Beenhakker gambled by replacing a defenderwith an extra striker in the 82nd minute and the move paid off. One minute later, Ellery Cairo got behind the Fortuna defence to make it 2-2.

Fortuna were now on the ropes and the knockout blow came in the 87th minute when Julio Cruz controlled the ball on his chest and drove the ball into the corner of the net from 15 metres.

Giants Struggle

MADRID: Madrid giants Real and Atletico made heavy work of their cup quarter-final first leg matches on Wednesday. Real could only beat second division Merida 1-0 at home while Atletico were held to a goalless draw by cross-town rivals Rayo Vallecano.

Real needed a solitary goal eight minutes into the second half from Argentine reserve Rolando Zarate to overcome the spirited and well-organised visitors. Zarate was standing in for Spain striker Fernando Morientes, injured in Real’s 5-2 hammering away to Deportivo la Coruna on Sunday.
Results: Espanyol 5 Compostela 1, Atletico Madrid 0 Rayo Vallecano 0, Real Madrid 1 Merida 0.

Vieristrikes

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ROME: Christian Vieri, the world’s most expensive striker, netted two in Inter Milan’s 3-1 win at Cagliari on Wednesday, his goals virtually guaranteeing his squad’s place in the Italian Cup final.

The Italian, snatched by Inter for a record $50 million last summer, scored on the hour with a diving header, then added a second with a driving left-footer during the final minutes of the first leg match.

Earlier, Romanian Promise Mutu had put Inter in the lead with a spectacular flying volley, with Corsica-born Francois Modesto clinching the temporary equaliser for Cagliari in the 57th.

With the away-goal rule doubling the value of goals scored by the visitors, Inter is nearly certain of qualifying to the tournament’s final.