Bundesliga Matchday 29: Halil Plants The Sword In Klinsmann's Heart

Surprising Results:

Bayern 0:1 Schalke

When Jose Sosa hits the bar with a freekick and Ze Roberto fails to score from three yards out, you know it’s not Bayern’s day. Christian Pander directed a corner into the six yard box and Halil Altintop scored with a header absolutely against the run of play. Thanks to Halil, Klinsmann is no longer at the club.

Energie Cottbus 2:0 Wolfsburg

What is the solution to beating Wolfsburg? The answers are Dimitar Rangelov and Ervin Skela. Wolfsburg’s 10 match unbeaten run was shattered as the relegation battlers escaped with all three points. Rangelov scored with a header while Skela fired in a shot after beating Andrea Barzagli easily.

Bayer 0:1 Karlsruher

Another relegation threatened club claimed all three points this week. A wonder goal from Sebastian Langkamp increased the pressure on Bruno Labbadia. Unbelievably and miraculously, the goal was scored from 40 metres out! Langkamp was basically trying to steal the ball from an opponent. Rene Adler was left shell-shocked!

Dortmund 2:0 Hamburg

Hamburg are slowly slipping away from the title. This loss to an in-form Dortmund side working their socks off, trying to get into Europe, will increase the pressure on Hamburg. Captain Sebastian Kehl opened the scoring when one on one with Frank Rost. In the final minute, Alex Frei dispatched a penalty to seal the win for Dortmund.

Table-topping Results:

Stuttgart 2:0 Eintracht

Stuttgart may be heading to the Champions League with the Bundesliga title next season. Markus Babel has brought back the spirit of 2007—when Stuttgart beat Bayern, Werder, and Schalke to the title. Cacau scored the first with a header from a Ludovic Magnin assist. Mario Gomez added a second from close range to seal the deal.

Hoffenheim 0:1 Hertha Berlin

Patrick Ebert won the game for Berlin absolutely against the run of play. Berlin basically won the game with only one attack!

Relief-providing Result:

Hanover 2:1 Köln

A double from Leon Andreasen sealed the deal for Hanover. A Milivoje Novakovic goal couldn’t help Köln’s cause, while Hanover distanced themselves from the relegation battle.

Other Results:

B’Gladbach 1:1 Bielefeld:

Karim Matmour and Robert Tesche traded goals in this six-pointer. Gladbach is a team with a lot of history and very few people would like to see Gladbach go down. Unfortunately that is quite likely. They have to escape the relegation zone with only five matches to go. That’s quite difficult, considering that their next opponents are Bayern.

THE MATCH:

Werder Bremen 3:2 Bochum

Diego was once again the hero for Werder. A Stanislav Sestak double put Bielefeld 2-0 up, but Bremen were not going to go down without a fight. Hugo Almeida scored and Naldo equalized. Diego then scored the winner with an awesome finish after good work by Clemens Fritz.

The top-five this week are:

1. Wolfsburg - 57

2. Hertha - 55

3. Bayern - 54 (GD: 22)

4. Stuttgart - 54 (GD: 15)

5. Hamburg - 54 (GD: 2)

News

Jurgen Klinsmann has been relieved of his post as Bayern coach along with his assistants Nick Thesloff and Martin Vasquez. Temporarily, Jupp Heynckes has been given charge and Hermann Gerland has been promoted from the B team to act as his assistant. On the other hand, Mehmet Scholl has been given temporary charge of the B team.

Hoffenheim have now gone 11 match days without a win. Wolfsburg’s 10 game unbeaten run came to an end this weekend. They share the record of wins with Gladbach.

Hamburg boss Martin Jol is suspected of being Bayern’s target to take over as Klinsmann’s successor.

Schalke’s win in Munich was their first in the Allianz Arena. Halil and Hamit Altintop both featured in the match.

The DFB Pokal final will be held on the May 30 between Bayer and Werder in Berlin.

Markus Babel has been given the green light to continue as Stuttgart coach. Jens Lehmaan has left himself open to the German National team.

That’s it from a tumultuous week of German football. There will be no Klinsmann at the helm for Bayern next week. I will end with a quote from him.

“We have laid the foundations for the future. I still believe that this team will end up as Bundesliga champions this season.”