Hannover hamper Hamburg hopes

Hamburger SV saw their slender Bundersliga title hopes fade further after a surprise 2-1 defeat by Hannover 96, and it proved a fruitful night for leaders FC Bayern München as nearest rivals Werder Bremen were held.

Barbarez consolation
Hamburg went into their game at the Niedersachsenstadion needing a win after seeing their title challenge stall having picked up just four points in their previous three games. But second-half goals from Dariusz Zuraw and Vahid Hashemian put paid to those aspirations and although Sergej Barbarez reduced the deficit with ten minutes remaining, the visitors could not find the equaliser as they remain ten points behind Bayern.

Disallowed goals
The champions were held to a goalless draw by Hertha BSC Berlin yesterday, and Bremen could have closed to within six points of the summit with victory at VfL Stuttgart. But shorn of the injured Miroslav Klose, they could not break down Giovanni Trapattoni's well-disciplined side. Indeed, it could have been worse for the visitors as Stuttgart twice had the ball in the back of the net, only for the efforts to be disallowed.

Leverkusen buoyant
The game between FC Schalke 04 and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach also ended 0-0, while Ioannis Amanatidis' strike on the cusp of half-time proved sufficient as Eintracht Frankfurt picked up three points at 1. FC Nürnberg. The game at the BayArena was far more open as Bayer 04 Leverkusen cruised to a comprehensive 4-0 victory against VfL Wolfsburg.