Hannover 96 1-0 VfB Stuttgart


With Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel coming under increasing pressure following recent successive defeats against Schalke 04 and Sevilla, the former Liverpool right back decided to shake things up with Thomas Hitzlsperger adding a bit of steel to the midfield alongside Christian Träsch, Mathieu Delpierre returning at centre back and Elson replacing the injured Cacau.

Defensive mix-up

Hannover themselves were struggling with a real injury crisis in attack but were lucky that Jiri Stajner was able shake off an elbow injury to partner Didier Ya Konan up front. It was the latter who broke the deadlock with a half an hour on the clock, Arnold Bruggink taking advantage of a mix up in the visitors' defence before squaring for the awaiting Ivorian who had no trouble shifting the ball over the line from five yards. There was a hint of offside about the goal, though Stuttgart can have little complaints as it was their inability to clear their lines that created the situation in the first instance.

Lack of creativity

The Swabians did their best to put the hosts under pressure as the half time whistle approached but they simply lacked any form of creativity in front of goal. The home side, meanwhile, created precious little in the way of goalscoring opportunities but took their only chance of the half with gratitude.

Stuttgart upped their game in the second period without ever seriously threatening until the final quarter, when in truth they were hard done by not to snatch an equaliser. Thomas Hitzlsperger crashed the ball against the post with a trademark free kick and Romanian striker Ciprian Marica even had the ball in the net when he headed home the return ball, only to see his effort ruled out for offside.

Hannover coach Andi Bergmann withdrew both his strikers in the final phase to create a bulwark that the visitors would ultimately be unable to overcome. The result means Hannover pull away from the relegation places, while Markus Babbel must contemplate his side's third defeat in a row and the first time he has experienced such a poor run of form as a coach.


Hannover: Fromlowitz - Cherundolo, Haggui, C. Schulz, Rausch - Balitsch - Sofian Chahed, Rosenthal - Bruggink (Krzynowek 90') - Stajner (S. Pinto 85'), Ya Konan (Eggimann 89')

Stuttgart: Lehmann - Osorio, Tasci, Delpierre, Boka - Kuzmanovic (Marica 61' (Gebhart 75')), Träsch, Hitzlsperger - Hleb (Rudy 61'), Elson - Schieber

Goals: 1-0 Ya Konan (30')

Attendance: 35000 (AWD Arena)


1. FSV Mainz 05 3-0 SC Freiburg


Mainz 05 were clearly the better of the two promoted sides at the Bruchwegstadion as they comfortably overcame SC Freiburg 3-0 to take all three points and chalk up their first clean sheet of the season.

Austrian striker Andreas Ivanschitz got the hosts up and running on 24 minutes when he expertly looped the ball over Simon Pouplin following a bursting run and lofted pass from Chadli Amri.

Mainz efficiency

The scores would remain the same until the interval with Mainz deserving of their lead, if only due to their ability to make the most of the chances presented to them. Indeed, Mainz boast a proud record of being the most efficient team in the Bundesliga in terms of chances converted and would go on to continue that good record into the second half.

It took until just five minutes after the restart for Thomas Tuchel's side to double their lead. Again Ivanschitz was involved but this time he turned provider, threading in a ball for Tim Hoogland who made his way all too easily past Du Ri Cha before firing a low right-footed effort in at the near post from the left side of the penalty area.

Hoogland double

With the points clearly staying on the Rhine, captain Hoogland grabbed his second and Mainz's third of the game with five minutes remaining to make the scoreline a jot less respectable for Freiburg. Florian Heller threaded the ball in to the German midfielder who found himself in acres of space before firing home emphatically into the top corner from the right-hand side of the box.

Mainz, then, celebrate their ninth home match in a row without defeat and keep pace with the likes of Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich at the top end of the table. Freiburg remain in mid-table but just two points separate them with the bottom three.


Mainz: H. Müller - F. Heller, Bungert, Noveski, Löw - Karhan (Polanski 81'), Soto - Hoogland, Ivanschitz (Pekovic 70'), Amri (van der Heyden 89') - Bancé

Freiburg: Pouplin - D.-R. Cha, Krmas, Butscher, Bastians - J. Schuster (Uzoma 88') - Bechmann, Banovic, Abdessadki (Makiadi 79'), Jäger (Reisinger 71') - Idrissou

Goals: 1-0 Ivanschitz (24'), 2-0 Hoogland (50'), 3-0 Hoogland (85')

Attendance: 20150 (Bruchwegstadion)


Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-0 1. FC Köln


The 75th Rhineland derby between these two sides promised goals with only one previous fixture between the two producing a 0-0 draw. Nonetheless, the Borussia Park faithful were out of luck as neither side could produce the goods in a match which offered little in the way of chances.

Köln were the form side heading into the tie having won three of their last five matches and would have been confident going into the game against a Gladbach side in freefall after suffering six defeats in a row. Still, it took until just before half time for the first real chance of the game to materialize, but Köln striker Manasseh Ishiaku dragged his effort well wide of the far post after being put through by Lukas Podolski.

Mondragon on form

After a static first half lacking in attacking fervour, fans were desperate for a more entertaining second period and the home fans almost got what they wanted ten minutes after the restart when a well-struck Juan Arango free kick was saved superbly by veteran Köln keeper Faryd Mondragon.

The visitors again had their Colombian stopper to thank as the game entered its final phase, the 38-year-old keeping out a couple of goalbound efforts from Michael Bradley and saving Youssef Mohamad's blushed as he unwittingly diverted towards his own net with just under ten minutes to go.

By the end of proceedings it became evident that Köln were holding out for the draw and will no doubt make the short trip back the happier of the two sides, though both clubs remain delicately poised above the bottom three as a result of the final score.


Gladbach: Bailly - Levels, Brouwers, Dante, Jaures - T. Marx, Bradley - Reus (Matmour 86'), Arango - Colautti (Neuville 76'), Bobadilla (Friend 76')

Köln: Mondragon - Schorch (McKenna 34'), Geromel, Mohamad, Brecko - Petit, Pezzoni - Podolski, Ehret (Freis 77') - Novakovic (Matip 90+2'), Ishiaku

Goals: none

Attendance: 54067 (sold out - Borussia Park)


Andy James