Talking points from the Bundesliga weekend
Bremen pile the pressure on Hamburg with vital win
Hamburg suffered their third successive defeat at the hands of a Werder Bremen side, who are looking far more likely to avoid the Bundesliga drop.
An own-goal in the 86th minute by Dutch centre-back Rick Van Drongelen ensured Bremen clinched the points in a tight battle between two sides struggling at the wrong end of the table this season.
The win moves Florian Kohfeldt’s side up to 14th, nine points clear of Hamburg in 17th. What’s more, Bremen have now emerged victorious in three of their last four matches, as they look to move up the table.
As for Hamburg, it is looking rather precarious. They have a huge game at home to Mainz, a place above them, on Saturday. Lose that, and it really is curtains for Bernd Hollerbach’s team. It would be the first time, Hamburg would drop out of the top tier since their formation as a football club.
Bayern Munich miss out on record
A slight blot on Munich’s colossal Bundesliga season took place on Saturday as the league-leaders failed to make it 15 league wins in a row-missing out on a club record in the process.
Jupp Heynckes’ side were held to a goalless draw at The Allianz Arena by mid-table Hertha Berlin. The away side were met with an onslaught of 19 shots, but their goalkeeper, Rune Jarstein, stood firm as Robert Lewandowski in particular was left frustrated after being repeatedly denied.
Despite the slight dent in Munich’s omnipotent dominance, they moved 20 points clear at the top ahead of Borussia Dortmund versus Augsburg tonight.
You can’t win ’em all! Thanks for your support nonetheless, guys ?❤ #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/E3VSxPWWIu
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) February 24, 2018
Frankfurt frustrated
Losing for only the second time this year, Eintracht Frankfurt missed out on a chance to reduce the substantial deficit between themselves and Bayern.
23 year-old winger Erik Thommy scored the decisive goal for Stuttgart after 13 minutes as Frankfurt dropped to fifth, 21 points off the top spot.
Andrej Kramaric on form after goal drought
Having endured five months without finding the net, Hoffenheim striker Andrej Kramaric has now scored five goals in four matches.
The Croatian striker scored his seventh goal of the season as Hoffenheim drew 1-1 at home to 13th place Freiburg. Nils Petersen levelled the game for the visitors just under ten minutes after Kramaric had curled in an exquisite free-kick from the edge of the box.
Leipzig stunned by bottom-placed Cologne
Cologne moved level on points with Hamburg after coming from behind to win at Leipzig in the second Sunday Bundesliga fixture.
Two goals in seven minutes from Vincent Koziello (69) and Leonardo Bittencourt (76) turned the game on its head after 20 year-old French striker Jean-Kevin Augustin put the home side in front in just the fourth minute.
Leipzig would have wanted to kick on after this early advantage, but they missed out on the opportunity to go second after being overpowered in the final quarter of the game. The result leaves Leipzig in sixth.
Cologne now have four points from their last two games, having lost the previous two before that. Moving level with Hamburg on points must be a small boost for a club who have struggled all season.