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March 16, 2010

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Kiessling brace powers Leverkusen

BUNDESLIGA top scorer Stefan Kiessling struck once in either half to help give Bayer Leverkusen a 4-2 win over Hamburger SV on Sunday and remain in the title race three points off the top in third place.

Bayern Munich tops the league standings following its 2-1 win over Freiburg on Saturday with Schalke 04 two points adrift in second place after beating VfB Stuttgart by the same score.

Leverkusen's emphatic win put an end to any crisis talks after the team had failed to win its last three matches and had also suffered its first defeat of the season last week against Nuremberg.

"The team really improved in the second half, calmed down and became more accurate and we deserved to win," Leverkusen coach Jupp Heynckes said.

Kiessling, who has almost certainly booked a place in Germany's World Cup squad with a stunning season so far, gave his team the lead in the 22nd minute, against the run of play, when he broke free and beat keeper Frank Rost with a neat low drive.

The hosts, without suspended playmaker Toni Kroos, failed to hold on to their lead when Hamburg equalized through former Leverkusen player Ze Roberto in the 33rd, following a blunder by Germany keeper Rene Adler, who failed to clear the ball after colliding with teammate Sami Hyypia.

Leverkusen, however, regained control and its early second-half pressure paid off when Eren Derdiyok rose to connect with a deep Daniel Schwaab cross to head home his 12th goal of the season in the 55th.

In Sunday's other match, Werder Bremen beat host Hoffenheim 1-0 courtesy of Claudio Pizarro's 11th goal of the season, to move up to 42 points, one behind Hamburg which is fifth.



 

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