Seven-point lead boosts Bremen
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Article summary
SV Werder Bremen increased their lead in the Bundesliga with a win at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Article body
Ten-man SV Werder Bremen extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to seven points with a dramatic victory at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach today.
Baumann boon
With the match level at 1-1 heading into added time, Bremen captain Frank Baumann gave his side a crucial three points as he scored the winning goal from inside the penalty area. Second-placed VfB Stuttgart visit bottom side Hertha BSC Berlin on Sunday, while champions FC Bayern München, in third, are at home to Hannover 96 the same day.
Quick goals
Bremen fell behind six minutes into the second half as Czech striker Vaclav Sverkos headed Mönchengladbach in front, but the visitors were level three minutes later as Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic forced the ball into the net from close range. Bremen lost Mladen Krstajic to a second yellow card 18 minutes from time but continued to press forward and were rewarded by Baumann's winner.
Amanatidis decisive
Fourth-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen slipped ten points behind the leaders after losing 2-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. Ingo Hertzsch gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half and, although striker Oliver Neuville levelled for Leverkusen a minute past the hour, Ioannis Amanatidis's winner with 13 minutes remaining ensured the home side finished pointless.
Bochum held
VfL Bochum 1848 remained fifth after drawing 1-1 at Hamburger SV, who earned a point when Bernardo Romeo's 82nd-minute strike cancelled out Soren Colding's goal 12 minutes earlier.
Dortmund up to sixth
BV Borussia Dortmund climbed up to sixth place, above FC Schalke 04 – held 0-0 at home by TSV 1860 München in front of more than 60,000 spectators – with a 4-2 win at VfL Wolfsburg. Niclas Jensen and Jan Koller scored in the first half for the visitors, while Torsten Frings and Lars Ricken's goals in the second 45 minutes wrapped up the win for Dortmund.
Handsome Hansa
Antonio di Salvo, Magnus Arvidsson, Gernot Plassnegger and Razundara Tjikuzu were all on target in FC Hansa Rostock's 4-1 win against SC Freiburg, and Vratislav Lokvenc scored the only goal as 1. FC Kaiserslautern defeated 1. FC Köln.
