Stuttgart claim Bundesliga crown
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Article summary
VfB Stuttgart secured their first Bundesliga title since 1992 as a 2-1 home win against FC Energie Cottbus held off the challenge of FC Schalke 04 on the last day.
Article body
VfB Stuttgart came from behind to clinch their first Bundesliga title since 1992 with a 2-1 home win against FC Energie Cottbus to hold off the challenge of FC Schalke 04, who defeated DSC Arminia Bielefeld by the same scoreline on the final day of the German league season.
Dramatic twist
Having kicked off with a two-point advantage at the top of the table, leaders Stuttgart looked destined for a desperate climax to the season as they fell behind to Sergiu Radu's 19th-minute opener with Schalke already 2-0 up against Arminia following early strikes by Lincoln (14) and Halil Altıntop (18). Had the scores stayed the same Stuttgart would have lost the title by a single point but Thomas Hitzlsperger drew them level in the 25th minute before Sami Khedira popped up to score the goal that clinched the title three minutes past the hour. With their championship hopes all but extinguished, Schalke conceded a last-minute Radim Kucera goal to win 2-1 but nevertheless secured second.
Rosenberg double
Werder Bremen finish third after a 2-0 win against VfL Wolfsburg, who finished one place and three points above the relegation zone despite the defeat inflicted by two second-half goals from Markus Rosenberg. Last season's champions FC Bayern München ended a disappointing campaign in fourth place but went out on a high note with a 5-2 win against 1. Mainz 05. Roque Santa Cruz, Mehmet Scholl and Mark van Bommel all scored in the first half for Bayern with Ali Karimi (63) and Claudio Pizarro (74) adding further goals in the second period. Chadlj Amri (55) and Markus Feulner (75) replied for the visitors, who are relegated as a result.
Leverkusen win
Also demoted are Alemannia Aachen, who lost 4-0 against Hamburger SV thanks to two goals apiece from Ivica Olić and Juan Pablo Sorín. Bottom side VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, who were beaten 2-0 at home against VfL Bochum 1848, were already down. Bayer 04 Leverkusen clinched fifth and join Bayern in the first round of next season's UEFA Cup after a 2-1 win against BV Borussia Dortmund, Stefan Kiessling (45) and Simon Rolfes (54) providing a two-goal cushion that was halved by Ebi Smolarek (79). 1. FC Nürnberg finished sixth after a 3-0 win at Hannover 96 and Hertha BSC Berlin won 2-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt.