Bundesliga Results: Analysis for Stuttgart vs. Gladbach, and Weekend's Matches
There is only game in town where the Bundesliga is concerned this weekend, with Borussia Dortmund playing host to Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp's team have been hit by a raft of injuries this week after the international break, but victory for the Westfalenstadion side will see them move to within a point of league leaders Bayern.
Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach get the weekend under way when they meet on Friday night, while Bayer Leverkusen warm up for the Champions League visit of Manchester United with a trip to Hertha BSC on Saturday.
Sunday: Wins for Hamburg and Mainz
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Hamburg secured derby bragging rights with a 3-1 win over Hannover.
Both teams are struggling towards the foot of the table and it was Hannover who took an early lead through Szabolcs Hustzi.
The advantage lasted a matter of three minutes before Milan Badelj drew the home side level.
A minute after the interval and Hamburg were in front, with Maximilian Beister finding the target.
And the points were secured when Hakan Calahnogiu netted with six minutes remaining.
Werder Bremen were humbled 3-2 at home by FSV Mainz.
The visitors took control of the game early on and powered ahead on seven minutes through Nicolai Muller.
Shinji Okazaki scored goals either side of half-time to put Mainz in control.
Eljero Elia’s cut the gap on 85 minutes and Franco Di Santo set the nerves jangling in the Mainz camp with a goal on 90 minutes, but the visitors held on.
Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Bayern Munich: Mario Gotze Exposes Old Side's Defence
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Borussia Dortmund old boy Mario Gotze drove a stake through the hearts of his former team's fans as he broke the deadlock in Saturday evening's top-of-the-table Bundesliga match with Bayern Munich, as the visitors eventually romped to a 3-0 win.
Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller both netted in the final five minutes to clinch the win against their nearest league rivals, but it was Gotze's impressive 66th minute strike that changed the course of the contest.
The young playmaker refused to celebrate his goal, although that is hardly likely to have got him back in the good books of the Dortmund fans, following his acrimonious departure at the end of last season.
Dortmund, without almost their entire first-choice defence due to a spate of injuries, put up a valiant effort throughout, but Robert Lewandowski—also set to join Bayern before too long—was unable to produce anything against Bayern's resolute defence, with Marco Reus also somewhat under par.
Bayern are now seven points ahead of their rivals, with Bayer Leverkusen ensuring their lead at the top of the table is just four points at this stage in the campaign.
"Borussia Dortmund - Bayern München 0:3 FT. Mund abputzen, weitermachen. // Screw it. There's gonna be a next time. #bvbfcb #bvb
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) November 23, 2013"
Stuttgart 0 Monchengladbach 2: Raffael and Wendt Seal Victory for Visitors
3 of 7Goals from Raffael and Oscar Wendt extended Borussia Monchengladbach's winning sequence to four matches and cemented their fourth place in the Bundesliga table with a 2-0 win at Stuttgart.
Raffael was on target from a tight angle in the 37th minute of the game before Sweden international Wendt bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on a World Cup when he added the second in the 73rd minute.
Wendt's goal was the pick of the night as he controlled a high ball on the edge of the area before firing a left-footed volley beyond Stuttgart goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
The visitors could have enjoyed an even more emphatic victory, but Ulreich twice produced fine saves to deny Germany international Max Kruse.
Stuttgart have won just once in their last six league matches and remain in eighth place in the table.
Eintracht Frankfurt 3-3 Schalke: Howedes Gets Late Equaliser
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An 86th minute equaliser from Benedikt Howedes enabled Schalke to escape from this game with a 3-3 drawa against Frankfurt, in a game they lead until the 61st minute.
A 14th minute Johannes Flum own goal and Joel Matip strike soon after had given the Champions League participants a comfortable early lead, but that all turned around in the second half—as Flum (at the right end this time) and Joselu (twice) found the net in the space of 12 minutes to put the hosts ahead.
But Schalke would not be cowed, and eventually got a point as defender Howedes grabbed the game's sixth goal.
Hertha Berlin 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen: Kiessling Again for Leverkusen
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With Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich facing each other later, Bayer Leverkusen kept up the pressure on the two league pace-setters with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Hertha Berlin.
Stefan Kiessling got the only goal of the game midway through the first half, as Manchester United's Champions League rivals held firm under late Hertha pressure to keep hold of all three points.
Other Results: Wolfsburg Held, Freiburg and Augsburg Pick Up Wins
6 of 7Saturday
Augsburg 2-0 Hoffenheim
Two goals, six minutes apart, from Halil Altintop were enough for Augsburg to take all three points.
Eintracht Braunschweig 0-1 Freiburg
Gelson Fernandes scored the only goal in this one just seven minutes after half-time.
Nurnberg 1-1 Wolfsburg
Daniel Ginczek cancelled out Max Arnold's first half strike with just 20 minutes remaining in this one, as the home side claimed a point.
Weekend Results and Fixtures
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Friday 22nd November
Stuttgart 0-2 Borussia Monchengladbach
Saturday 23rd November
FC Nurnberg 1-1 Wolfsburg 2:30pm
Eintracht Braunschweig 0-1 SC Freiburg 2:30pm
Eintracht Frankfurt 3-3 Schalke 04 2:30pm
FC Augsburg 2-0 Hoffenheim 2:30pm
Hertha BSC 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen 2:30pm
Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Bayern Munich 5:30pm
Sunday 24th November
Hamburg SV 3-1 Hannover 96
Werder Bremen 2-3 Mainz
