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Leverkusen sets Bundesliga record
Source: Agencies |
February 28, 2010, Sunday
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BAYER Leverkusen set the Bundesliga record for the best start to the season, remaining unbeaten after 24 games following a 0-0 draw against Cologne yesterday.
But only one point at home against a team hovering above the relegation zone could hurt Leverkusen's hopes of winning its first championship.
"We are disappointed that we got only one point," Leverkusen goalkeeper Rene Adler said. "The record is a consolation but we wanted to win."
Leverkusen has 50 points, one more than Bayern Munich, which hosts Hamburger SV today.
By remaining undefeated in its first 24 games this season, Leverkusen broke the record of 23 set by Bayern in the 1988-89 season. Bayern's coach then was Jupp Heynckes, who is now in charge in Leverkusen.
Sami Hyypia came close to putting Leverkusen ahead when he latched onto a free kick from Toni Kroos, but Cologne goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon got his fingers to the ball and pushed it against the post in the first half.
That remained the best of Leverkusen's few opportunities against a massive Cologne defense.
Earlier, Cacau scored both goals in Stuttgart's 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt to bring his total to seven goals in eight days.
The Brazil-born striker, who is hoping to make Germany's World Cup squad, struck twice late in the first half. He also scored Tuesday in the 1-1 home draw against Barcelona in the Champions League, and picked up four last Saturday in a 5-1 win at Cologne.
"You can say I am on a roll," Cacau said. "I feel very tired now but I am glad we showed morale and fought back, and that I could help my team."
In other matches, Werder Bremen won 2-1 at 10-man Mainz, Hoffenheim won 2-0 at Hertha Berlin, Borussia Moenchengladbach drew 1-1 with Freiburg and Bochum was held to a 0-0 draw by Nuremberg.
On Friday, Schalke beat Borussia Dortmund to remain third.
Stuttgart fell behind at home in the 39th minute, when Sami Khedira lost possession in Stuttgart's area to Caio, whose low cross was tapped in from close range by Benjamin Koehler.
But Cacau struck two minutes later, heading home at the far post from a corner. He then rifled a shot from the edge of the penalty box in the final minute of the first half.
After missing a month due to a groin injury, Cacau returned in the previous round with four goals in a 5-1 win at Cologne. He then scored Stuttgart's only goal in the 1-1 home draw against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Cacau, a naturalized German citizen, has been selected in Germany's squad for next week's friendly against Argentina in Munich.
"To be in South Africa is my goal, and I hope that step by step I'll make it there," Cacau said.
The win put Stuttgart within one point of sixth-place Frankfurt.
Bremen ended Mainz's 11-game unbeaten home run despite resting several starters. The hosts lost midfielder Florian Heller to a red card in the 14th minute. Heller retaliated after a foul by Bremen's Aaron Hunt.
The visiting team used the advantage to go ahead in the 32nd when Tim Borowski floated a free kick into the upper left corner.
Mainz leveled just before halftime, when Aristide Bance blasted in a right-footed shot from 18 meters (yards) into the roof of the net.
But five minutes into the second half, Bremen defender Sebastian Proedl scored an equally spectacular goal by burying a shot into the far upper corner.
Hoffenheim beat last-place Berlin with goals from Demba Ba in the first half and Vedad Ibisevic in stoppage time.
Moenchengladbach fell behind to a goal from Papiss Demba Cisse but Roel Brouwers headed in the equalizer.
But only one point at home against a team hovering above the relegation zone could hurt Leverkusen's hopes of winning its first championship.
"We are disappointed that we got only one point," Leverkusen goalkeeper Rene Adler said. "The record is a consolation but we wanted to win."
Leverkusen has 50 points, one more than Bayern Munich, which hosts Hamburger SV today.
By remaining undefeated in its first 24 games this season, Leverkusen broke the record of 23 set by Bayern in the 1988-89 season. Bayern's coach then was Jupp Heynckes, who is now in charge in Leverkusen.
Sami Hyypia came close to putting Leverkusen ahead when he latched onto a free kick from Toni Kroos, but Cologne goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon got his fingers to the ball and pushed it against the post in the first half.
That remained the best of Leverkusen's few opportunities against a massive Cologne defense.
Earlier, Cacau scored both goals in Stuttgart's 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt to bring his total to seven goals in eight days.
The Brazil-born striker, who is hoping to make Germany's World Cup squad, struck twice late in the first half. He also scored Tuesday in the 1-1 home draw against Barcelona in the Champions League, and picked up four last Saturday in a 5-1 win at Cologne.
"You can say I am on a roll," Cacau said. "I feel very tired now but I am glad we showed morale and fought back, and that I could help my team."
In other matches, Werder Bremen won 2-1 at 10-man Mainz, Hoffenheim won 2-0 at Hertha Berlin, Borussia Moenchengladbach drew 1-1 with Freiburg and Bochum was held to a 0-0 draw by Nuremberg.
On Friday, Schalke beat Borussia Dortmund to remain third.
Stuttgart fell behind at home in the 39th minute, when Sami Khedira lost possession in Stuttgart's area to Caio, whose low cross was tapped in from close range by Benjamin Koehler.
But Cacau struck two minutes later, heading home at the far post from a corner. He then rifled a shot from the edge of the penalty box in the final minute of the first half.
After missing a month due to a groin injury, Cacau returned in the previous round with four goals in a 5-1 win at Cologne. He then scored Stuttgart's only goal in the 1-1 home draw against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Cacau, a naturalized German citizen, has been selected in Germany's squad for next week's friendly against Argentina in Munich.
"To be in South Africa is my goal, and I hope that step by step I'll make it there," Cacau said.
The win put Stuttgart within one point of sixth-place Frankfurt.
Bremen ended Mainz's 11-game unbeaten home run despite resting several starters. The hosts lost midfielder Florian Heller to a red card in the 14th minute. Heller retaliated after a foul by Bremen's Aaron Hunt.
The visiting team used the advantage to go ahead in the 32nd when Tim Borowski floated a free kick into the upper left corner.
Mainz leveled just before halftime, when Aristide Bance blasted in a right-footed shot from 18 meters (yards) into the roof of the net.
But five minutes into the second half, Bremen defender Sebastian Proedl scored an equally spectacular goal by burying a shot into the far upper corner.
Hoffenheim beat last-place Berlin with goals from Demba Ba in the first half and Vedad Ibisevic in stoppage time.
Moenchengladbach fell behind to a goal from Papiss Demba Cisse but Roel Brouwers headed in the equalizer.
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