Archive for the ‘Bundesliga’ Category

Germany edged Brazil 3-2 in the pick of the midweek international matches with Mario Gotze in particular weighing in with an impressive performance.

The pair famously contested the 2002 World Cup which the South Americans won 2-0, and their latest showdown proved to be even more of a spectacle at the Mercedes-Benz-Arena in Stuttgart.

Both sides fielded strong teams and it was the hosts who came out on top with goals from Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gotze giving Germany a 2-0 lead.

Robinho pulled one back for the visitors before Andre Schurrle swept home the third. Neymar’s late strike brught the game to 3-2 but was unable to prevent Die Mannschaft from ending an 18-year wait to beat the Brazilians.

Speaking after the match, German coach Joachim Low saluted his men before turning his eyes firmly towards Euro 2012.

“The name of the game now is to work even more,” he told German television broadcaster ZDF after the game.

 Read the full article

Barcelona overcame Bayern Munich 2-0 to lift the Audi Cup and reaffirm their status as Europe’s top side at present.

Two goals by youngster Thiago Alcantara the first arriving in the 41st minute and the second arriving in the 75th minute did the damage. So thats 1 trophy down, and six to go. GULP!

Elsewhere AC Milan and Brazilian outfit Internacional played out a throughly entertaining 2-2 draw earlier in the day. Internacional then went on to win 2-0 on penalties as Milan’s poor shootout record came back to haunt them.

As ever, catch the highlights with In The Stands below.

 Read the full article

Bayern Munich progressed to the 2011 Audi Cup final after a 5-3 penalty shootout victory over AC Milan after an entertaining 1-1 draw.

Alberto Paloschi missed the decisive penalty for the Italians as the Italian blazed his spot kick horribly over the bar before an impressive Bastian Schweinsteiger sealed the shootout victory.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic had gave the Serie A champions a 4th minute lead at the Allianz Arena before Toni Kroos equalized for the hosts with a fine left footed shot just before the break.

Bayern Munich will now face off against European champions Barcelona as Pep Guardiola’s youthful lineup overcame Brazilian giants Internacional 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw in normal time.

Catch highlights of that particular match below and be sure to check In The Stands as we bring you best of the action from the final consisting of two of Europe’s most decorated teams.

 Read the full article

Like when that football ‘expert’ told you that Lionel Messi will sign for Stoke City, or that Pele is to come out of retirement and sign for Notts County, we at In The Stands could not contain our laughter upon hearing that Tottenham, yes, Tottenham Hotspurs are lining up a sensational summer swoop for…wait for it; Arjen Robben!

Right, so you are playing for one of Europe’s elite clubs, the UEFA Champions League final is in your own lair, the club has a new coach and made some very exciting new signings and at your very best you are widely regarded as one of Europe’s finest wingers/midfielders.

So what can tempt you to leave four-time European champions and 2009 runners-up Bayern Munich to join Europa League-bound Spurs who have not won a major trophy (the Carling Cup is not a major trophy) since, er…1991 and who have not won a league title since John F. Kennedy succeeded Dwight Eisenhower as the 35th President of the United States?

 Read the full article

Last night Bayern Munich crashed out of the Champions League after sacrificing a 3-0 aggregate lead to the hands of Inter. It was meant to be a story of revenge after the Italian club had crushed their dreams of a treble in the final last year, but it turned out to be just another chapter in Bayern’s book: ‘A season of Woe’. James Shaw investigates…

Last years Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich, were on course to complete the domestic treble when they met Inter Milan in the 2010 Champions League final. But Mourinho’s Inter and Diego Milito stood in their way as the Italian side completed a treble of their own.

Ten months later and the story is not quite the same. Their exit from the Champions league is no more than a poisonous cherry on-top of a rotting cake of a season. In the Bundesliga that find themselves fourth – 16 points behind run-away leaders Bussia Dortmund and within three points of Bayer Leverkusen and surprise package Hanover 96, who lie in second and third place, respectively.

 Read the full article

It’s starting to get interesting in the Bundesliga. With the weekend being eclipsed by a thrilling 3-3 draw. Schalke needed a last gasp goal from Kevin Kuranyi to make the game even stevens after Hamburg had led, 2-0, 2-1 then 3-2. Markus Berg and Kevin Kuranyi scored two goals each with Lucas Schmitz and Piotr Trochowski both on target in a 3-3 draw which had everything, including a red card for Hamburg’s David Rozehnal.

Hamburg are still 2nd in the table, but only by goal difference as Bayer Leverkusen could only muster a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund, despite dominating the game. Manuel Friedrich (65) and Lucas Barrios (8) the scorers respectively.

Werder Bremen continuted their 15 game unbeaten run with an enthatic victory over Bochum. The Bremen young guns Mezut Ozil, Aaron Hunt and Marco Marin all netted with fans favorite Borowski netting the other. I have to admit they look like a very decent team this year.

 Read the full article

Bayern seem to have crashed and burned in the last two week, picking up only one point out of 6.

After losing to Hamburg  last week Bayern could only muster a 0-0 draw against league strugglers Colonge. As a result they dropped to 8th in the table and are now 8 points behind join league leaders Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg, who both added to their points tally this weekend (they now both have 20 points from 8 games)

Bayer Leverkusen thumped relegation candidates Nurberg 4-0, with goals from  Toni Kroos,  Simon Rolfes, Eren Derdiyo and the in form Stefan Kießling. Whereas Hamburg convincingly beat Hertha Berlin 3-1, with Jarolim and ‘I’ve-still-got-it’-Zé Roberto adding to an OG from Kaká. (not the real one obviously)

Ironically the top two played the bottom two this weekend with Hertha bottom and Nurberg 17th, Colonge complete the bottom three.

As from the rest… Last years champions Wolfsburg ground out a 1-1 draw with VfL Bochum needing a goal from Substitute Martins to save their blushes.

 Read the full article

Hamburg stay top despite being held to a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt. Hamburg are now only top on goal difference ahead of Bayern Leverkusen.

Hamburg took the lead in the game with Ze Roberto, in fantastic form, scoring his third goal of the season. The former Bayern Munich player scored with a header after Peter Trochowski floated in a smooth free-kick and striker Mladen Petric picked out the Brazilian with a fine header.

Bayern Leverkusen missed their chance of going top by failing to score in a 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg, this allowed Bayen Munich to move within 3 points of the top spot. as they beat Nurnberg. Bayen are 3rd recoring a 2-1 victory with goals from Ivica Olic and Daniel Van Buyten.

Cologne moved off the bottom of the table with their first win of the season, beating a decent Stuttgart side away 2-0.

VfL Bochum 2 - 3 Mainz

Hannover 96 1 - 1 Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Monchengladbach 2 - 4 TSG Hoffenheim

 Read the full article

Hamburg SV maintain their great start to the season with a convincing 3-1 win over Stuttgart, New signing Eljero Elia, fresh from his first goal international goal in the week, put in a man of the match performance,  providing the pass for Petric’s screamer, before scoring a scorcher himself. The former FC Twente player looks like a fantastic buy. Stuttgart’s new recruit, Pavel Pogrebnyak reduced the deficit, before Ze Roberto sealed victory. FC Cologne’s season is going for bad to worse as they slummped to their 5th defeat of the season, fan’s favorite Lukas Podolski scored the opener (his first since his return). but this wasn’t enough as Schalke’s finishing payed diffidence with goals from Jefferson Farfan and Levan Kobiashvili making the score 1-2.

 Read the full article

Due to my heroic antics on Football Manager, I have become a fan of HSV and I am delighted to see they are top of the table. At first I was unsure about how they would fair this season. They never replaced Kompany, De Jong and Van Der Vaart last season and find themselves without top scorer Olic this season. On top of this Martin Jol had pissed off to Ajax, resulting in the appointment of inexperienced manager Bruno Labbadia.

But  I’m pleased that this season they has got off to a flyer; José Paolo Guerrero is back to his best (with 4 goals in as many games). Ze Roberto looks far from the lethargic 34 year old he is and Eljero Elia may turn out to be a shrewed bit of business.

 Read the full article