Bundesliga Matchday 20: Hertha Surprises, Goes to the Top as Hoff Loses Momentum

Shocking Results

Werder 1-1 Moenchengladbach

The results means that Werder claims only one out of a possible six points against Gladbach this season, while Gladbach has claimed four. Gladbach won the corresponding fixture 3-2. A Claudio Pizarro strike was cancelled out by US International Michael Bradley. Bradley had previously, in the same week scored twice against Mexico in a WC Qualifier.

VfL Bochum 2-1 Schalke

I am sure most fans thought that Schalke had gotten their confidence back after beating Bremen last week. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The Ruhr Derby is always a big one in Germany. A Kevin Kuranyi goal had given Schalke the lead.  The lead was cancelled out by a Mimoun Azaougagh goal. Dabrowski’s goal eventually won Bochum the Ruhr Derby.

Surprising Results

Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Energie Cottbus

Dortmund missed out on a home win again. Cottbus got got the lead through Cagdas Atan. Dortmundleveled tied the match through an Alex Frei penalty five minutes later. However, Dortmundwere unable to grab all three points. The game ended badly after Young-Pyo Lee’s sending off in the 90th minute.

Hannover 96 3-3 VfB Stuttgart

Stuttgartwent into a 2-0 lead in the first half, but it was Hanover who stormed back to take the lead in the second half. Mario Gomez’s opener and Martin Lanig’s goals were cancelled out by two swift goals three minutes from half-time from Jiri Stajner and Jacek Krzynowek. A third was added for the home side by Mikael Forsell. However coach Markus Babel’s unbeaten run continued thanks to an 88th minute super-strike by captain Thomas Hitzlsperger.

FC Koeln 0-0 Karlsruher SC

The reason I find this result surprising is because I had expected goals in this fixture. Both teams have scored quite a few goals in the last two matchdays. Koeln dominated the first half, but were unable to find the finish.

Table-topping Results

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-2 Wolfsburg:

The win sent Wolfsburgupto to sixth. An Edin Dzeko strike opened the scoring while a Zvejdan Misimovic goal finished off the home side. This was also Wolfsburg’s first away win of the entire season.

Hamburger SV 2-0 Bielefeld

Bielefeld had begun their season on a positive note. Hamburg was looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss to Karlsruher and did so in style. A goal apiece from Piotr Trochowski and Jose-Paulo Guerrero won Hamburg the match.

THE MATCH(es)

I couldn’t decide which of the two to choose and thus I decided to put in both matches.

Hoffenheim 1-4 Bayer Leverkusen

Hoffenheim just can’t play against Leverkusen. They lost the corresponding fixture 5-2. This match was more or less the same. Patrick Helmes opened the scoring just three minutes into the games. Rolfes doubled the lead in the 12th minute. A Salihovic penalty may have given Hoffenheim hope. However, Helmes brought the deficit back to two goals just before half-time while Gonzalo Castro added a fourth in the 47th minute

Hertha BSC Berlin 2-1 Bayern Munich

Bayern for a fifth time gave away the chance to go top and now they sit fourth in the table. An Andriy Voronin strike after some horrible defending from Bayern opened the scoring. Last week’s hero Klose equalized. Unfortunately for Bayern, Voronin added a second in the 78th minute. This means that Bayern has lost two out of their three league games this year.

Interesting News

Luca Toni is out injured and may miss the game against Koeln which means Landon Donovan might start. Lukas Podolski might be seen on the bench again.

Mladen Petric’s ban will not be lifter despite Hamburg’s appeal.

The standings are

1. Hertha BSC Berlin  40

2. Hoffenheim            39

3. Hamburg                39

4. Bayern                   38

5. Leverkusen            36