Two-goal Bender stars in Leverkusen success
Saturday, February 25, 2012
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen moved to within seven points of the top four after a 2-0 win at 1. FC Köln, while SV Werder Bremen failed to reclaim fifth spot, losing to 1. FC Nürnberg in the late game.
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A Lars Bender double kept Bayer Leverkusen 04 in touch with the top four as the UEFA Champions League last-16 participants recorded a 2-0 win at 1. FC Köln.
With third-placed FC Bayern München hosting FC Schalke 04, in fourth, on Sunday, Robin Dutt's men seized the chance to move within seven points of the latter thanks to Bender's 15th and 50th-minute strikes in the Rhineland derby.
The victory avenged the 4-1 home defeat Köln inflicted on Leverkusen earlier in the season and means the BayArena club have won back-to-back Bundesliga games for the first time since August. SV Werder Bremen could have reclaimed fifth spot from Leverkusen but lost 1-0 to 1. FC Nürnberg in the late fixture.
Elsewhere, struggling FC Augsburg grabbed three vital points at Hertha BSC Berlin's expense − leapfrogging them into 15th in the process courtesy of a 3-0 home triumph − while 1. FC Mainz 05 and VfB Stuttgart scored four apiece in convincing wins against lowly 1. FC Kaiserslautern and SC Freiburg respectively.
On Friday, VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach missed the chance to move top of the table after being held to a 1-1 home draw by Hamburger SV. They remain second, two points behind champions Borussia Dortmund, who host Hannover 96 in Sunday's other fixture.