Hamburg keep the pressure on lucky Bayern

By George Burns Apr 15, 2006, 17:12 GMT

Hamburg - SV Hamburg beat Duisburg 2-0 in German Bundesliga action Saturday to keep the pressure on leaders Bayern Munich, who struggled before eventually overcoming Arminia Bielefeld 2-0 thanks to goals from Michael Ballack and Mehmet Scholl.

In other action, relegation-threatened Cologne will be kicking themselves as a Zlatan Bajramovic header 10 minutes for time secured a 1-1 draw for fourth-placed Schalke, cancelling out an earlier Lukas Podolski effort.

Third-placed Bremen, who trounced Bayern 3-0 last weekend, can kiss their title hopes goodbye after a 1-1 draw at struggling VfL Wolfsburg, who played for over an hour with 10 men after Facundo Quiroga was harshly dismissed for a tackle on Miroslav Klose.

Bayern continue to head the standings with now 69 points, four clear of Hamburg and nine ahead of Bremen with four games remaining.

Hamburg showed the type of ruthlessness at Duisburg that has seen Thomas Doll's side reduce the deficit to Bayern from 11 points in recent weeks to just four before the start of Saturday's programme.

Duisburg started brightly but found themselves behind against the run of play after 24 minutes when goalkeeper Georg Koch missed Thimothee Atouba's curling cross only to see the bounce off the hapless Uwe Moehrle and into his own net.

Hamburg were two up six minutes later as Ailton was put clear on goal thanks to a perfect pass from Sergej Barbarez and the Brazilian made no mistake with a clinical finish.

'We fought from the start and took our chances at the right time,' said a pleased Doll afterwards.

Meanwhile, Bayern started with Michael Rensing in goal for Oliver Kahn, who sustained a bruised eye in the warm-up after being hit with a ball, and despite having the lion's share of possession in the first half failed to break down a stubborn Bielefeld defence.

Claudio Pizarro saw his shot come back off a post on 13 minutes and shortly after the Peruvian international put Ballack clear but the midfielder saw his effort cleared off the line by Petr Gabriel with Bielefeld goalkeeper Mathias Hain beaten.

Bielefeld started the second half more brightly and Isaac Boakye could have given the visitors a shock lead on 51 minutes but his overhead kick went just wide.

But luck shone on the defending champions and German Cup finalists on 68 minutes when a Ballack shot from outside the area came back off the post, rebounded off the outstretched Hain and into the net for the German international to register his 13th goal of the season.

Substitute Scholl completed the scoring four minutes later will a well struck shot from outside the area.

'It's just fantasitic when Mehmet comes in,' said coach Felix Magath afterwards. 'He immediately does things that lead to scoring chances. Once again, he has played a large part in us winning a game. Also Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen maintained their charge for a European place after a brace from Simon Rolfes secured a 2-1 win at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach, who played much of the game with 10 men after Niels Oude Kamphuis was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The result moves Leverkusen up to fifth on 44 points, ahead of Hertha Berlin on goal difference, after Falko Goetz's side could only manage a scoreless draw at home to Borussia Dortmund. The match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz 05 also finished scoreless.

On Sunday, Nuremberg welcome Kaiserslautern while Hanover 96 take on VfB Stuttgart.