Sunday 20 April 2014

Bundesliga Matchday 31: BVB defeats Mainz, Wolfsburg wins in Hamburg

Bayern Munich, with a mediocre first half performance defeated Bundesliga taillight Braunschweig 2-0.   BVB defeated Mainz 4-2, while in Saturday's late match, Wolfsburg won in Hamburg, moving provisionally into a Champions League qualifying spot.  Freiburg and Hannover walked away with victories, creating that important breathing space to avoid relegation.  Stuttgart, Hamburg, Nuernberg and Braunschweig are in immediate danger of relegation. 

Nuernberg hosts Leverkusen and Stuttgart welcomes Schalke 04 on Sunday, both very difficult matches for the relegation candidates.  A win or draw for Leverkusen will move the side, which has been struggling since the winter break, back into fourth spot.  Schalke can narrow the gap to second placed Dortmund.

In Friday's matchday opener Hannover won in Frankfurt 2-3.  Andreasen opened the scoring for Hannover in the second minute while Lanig got the equalizer in the 13th.  Stindl move Hannover ahead in the 20th and Ya Konan increased the lead to two in the 29th.  Meier narrowed the gap for Frankfurt in the 68th, but was the denied the equalizer.  Both Franfurt and Hannover have 35 points, seven clear of the relegation playoff spot.  FC Augsburg and Hertha BSC Berlin battled to a scoreless draw, occupying eighth and tenth spot respectively.  Both sides are clear of relegation.

Dortmund defeated Mainz 4-2 with Okazaki scoring the opener on 14 minutes.  Lewandowski's goal in the 18th minute equalized for a 1-1 draw after 45.   Okazaki put Mainz ahead in the 53rd, but goals by Pisczk (56), Reus (penalty 79th) secured the three points for Dortmund.  BVB enjoys a six point lead over third placed Schalke, while Mainz trails Gladbach by one in seventh spot.  Bayern Muenchen struggled through the first half, with a weakened Bayern side, against league taillight Braunschweig.  Goals by Pizzaro (75th) and Mandzukic (87th) secured the 2-0 win for Bayern.  For Braunschweig the situation is getting critical.

Freiburg walked over Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-1, one of the surprises of this matchday.  For Freiburg the win created an important buffer from relegation, while Gladbach remains in a fight for a Euro League qualification spot.  Werder Bremen defeated Hoffenheim 3-1.  While Volland scored the opener in the Weser Stadion, in the third, Bargfriede (18th), Garcia (78th) and Petersen (90th), ensured the three points for the Hanseaten.  Hoffenheim is in 9th spot, with Bremen in 11th.

Hamburg lost an important home match against Wolfsburg 1-3.  Perisic (2nd), Bruyne (42nd) and Olic (49th) were the scorers for Wolfsburg and Ilicevic (58th) got one back for Hamburg.  Hamburg, the only Bundesliga side that has never faced relegation, must now face that reality.  For Wolfsburg there is a good opportunity for Champions League qualification.

 Sunday's matches see Leverkusen at Nuernberg, while Stuttgart hosts Schalke 04.

Thursday 17 April

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Hannover 96    2:3

Saturday 19 April
Werder Bremen vs 1899 Hoffenheim    3:1
Borussia Dortmund vs FSV Mainz 05    4:2
Eintr. Braunschweig vs Bayern München 0:2
FC Augsburg vs Hertha BSC    0:0
SC Freiburg vs Bor. Mönchengladbach    4:2 
Hamburger SV vs VfL Wolfsburg   1:3

Sunday 20 April
   
1. FC Nürnberg vs Bayer Leverkusen       1-4
VfB Stuttgart vs Schalke 04    3-1

Posn  Team             GP   W   D   L    GF/GA   Points

1      FC Bayern        31    26  3    2        84:20       81
2      Dortmund         31    21   4    7       71:34       64
3      Schalke             31    17   7    7       57:41       61
4      Leverkusen       31    17   3  11       51:41       54
5      Wolfsburg         31    16   5  10       56:46       53
6      M'gladbach       31    14   6   11      54:39       48  
7      Mainz               31    14   5   12       46:49       47 
8      Augsburg          31    12   7   12       41:45      43
9      Hoffenheim       31   10   9    12      67:66      40
10    Hertha BSC       31   10   7    14      38:42      38
11    Bremen              31     9   8  13       37:59       36 
12    Frankfurt           31     9   8    14      39:53       35
13    Hannover           31   10   5  16       41:57       35
14    Freiburg            31      9   8  14       39:54       35
15    Stuttgart            31      8   7  16       48:59       31
16    Hamburg           31      7   6  18       47:65       27
17    Nürnberg           31      5 11  15       36:62       26
18    B'schweig         31       6   7  18       28:54       25

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