Bayern beat Hannover despite late drama
Reuters - Saturday 24 March 2012, 19:41
Bayern Munich edged past
Hannover 96 2-1 on Saturday to cut Borussia Dortmund's lead to
two points at the top of the Bundesliga as the Bavarians chase a
treble of titles.
Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez gave the hosts a two-goal cushion
before Didier Konan's 74th-minute bicycle-kick sparked late
drama on a rainy day in Munich.
"I have to give credit to the team because it is hard a
couple of days after Wednesday's game [German Cup semi-final win
on penalties over Borussia Monchengladbach] to perform like
they did today," said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.
"We played clever football for much of the game and deserved
the win."
Schalke 04 jumped into third place and an automatic
Champions League qualification spot with a 2-0 win over last
season's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen. Dutchman Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar scored both goals to take his league tally to 22.
Borussia Monchengladbach dropped to fourth on 51 points,
two behind Schalke, after conceding two goals in two minutes
against Hoffenheim to lose 2-1 in their first home defeat in a
year.
Second-placed Bayern, who left Bundesliga top scorer Gomez
on the bench at the start, had a good chance in the 20th minute
but Franck Ribery fired wide from 10 metres.
The Bavarians, up against Olympique Marseille next week in
the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, went
ahead in the 36th minute through Kroos.
The Germany international chipped the ball over goalkeeper
Ron-Robert Zieler after a quick exchange between Ribery and
Arjen Robben.
Gomez, who came on after an hour, went close when his low
drive from a tight angle rattled the post.
The Germany forward was then on target in the 68th minute,
grabbing his 23rd league goal of the season after shaking off
two defenders to curl the ball past Zieler with a fine
left-footed effort.
SPECTACULAR GOAL
Substitute Konan spectacularly cut the deficit for Hanover
with a bicycle-kick in the box in the 74th minute to trigger a
nervous finale for the home team.
Mame Biram Diouf then went close to an equaliser when his
header flew narrowly over.
The hosts were given another fright when Bayern defender
Jerome Boateng miskicked, forcing his own keeper Manuel Neuer
into a reaction save.
Bayern are chasing a trio of titles after qualifying for the
German Cup final where they will face Dortmund.
Relegation-threatened Hertha Berlin, in 17th spot, grabbed
their first away win since October when they beat Mainz 05 3-1
with two goals from Adrian Ramos
The capital club moved to within a point of the relegation
play-off spot occupied by Hamburg SV.
Kaiserslautern's new coach Krasimir Balakov could do nothing
to prevent a 2-0 defeat at Freiburg in their relegation derby
that left them 17 league games without a win - a club record -
and anchored in last place on 20 points.
Augsburg snatched a last-gasp 1-1 draw at sixth-placed
Werder Bremen thanks to Paul Verhaegh's equaliser to lift
themselves above the drop zone and stretch their unbeaten run to
six matches.