Mark
Sep 15 2002, 12:49 AM
Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Nuremberg courtesy of two goals from Michael Ballack on Saturday to move clear at the top of the German first division for at least 24 hours.
The Germany playmaker opened the scoring with a header on 12 minutes before hitting the winner from a return pass by Brazilian striker Elber in the 52nd minute.
Nuremberg had fought their way back into the match with a penalty from Macedonian striker Sasa Ciric in the 36th minute after Czech midfielder David Jarolim was brought down by Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.
Bayern had entered the weekend programme sharing the lead with promoted VfL Bochum, now second three points back before entertaining Hansa Rostock on Sunday. Northerners Rostock were in third, a further point adrift.
'We stepped up the pace in the second half for a deserved victory,' said Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, whose team ended last season without a title for the first time since 1995.
'You can't expect us to always win by two or three goals,' he added. 'It always difficult to win away and Nuremberg played well.'
Defending champions Borussia Dortmund dropped six points off the pace by managing only a 1-1 draw with old rivals Schalke 04 in their Ruhr Valley derby.
Nigerian striker Victor Agali silenced the sell-out 68,000 Dortmund crowd by opening the scoring in the 70th minute.
Brazilian striker Ewerthon levelled with a header a few seconds later, presenting Dortmund with their fourth draw in five games.
NOT ENOUGH
'One point is not enough,' said Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer, whose team remained seventh, three spots below Schalke.
'We wasted great chances after the equaliser,' he added. 'If we continue that way we can forget all about defending our title.'
Bayer Leverkusen, last term's runners-up, slumped to an embarrassing 3-1 defeat to second division champions Hanover 96.
Leverkusen, now a lowly 12th, eight points behind Bayern, moved ahead with a volley from the edge of the box from Turkey midfielder Yildiray Basturk on 11 minutes.
Hanover, hungry for their first points, came back through striker Fredi Bobic four minutes from the break and Leverkusen then collapsed.
Bobic gave his side the lead with 10 minutes remaining before Cameroonian striker Mohammadou Idrissou sealed the visitors' shock victory three minutes later.
Leverkusen, who added weight to their reputation as perpetual runners-up last season by not only missing out on the title but also losing the Champions League and German Cup finals, had won 3-1 at Hansa Rostock on Wednesday for their first win of the Bundesliga campaign.
'After the good performance on Wednesday this is a setback and a bitter disappointment,' said Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmoeller.
'We hardly created any chances and Hanover were fresher physically and more combative than we were,' he added. 'We'll have to talk about all this between us.'
The Germany playmaker opened the scoring with a header on 12 minutes before hitting the winner from a return pass by Brazilian striker Elber in the 52nd minute.
Nuremberg had fought their way back into the match with a penalty from Macedonian striker Sasa Ciric in the 36th minute after Czech midfielder David Jarolim was brought down by Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.
Bayern had entered the weekend programme sharing the lead with promoted VfL Bochum, now second three points back before entertaining Hansa Rostock on Sunday. Northerners Rostock were in third, a further point adrift.
'We stepped up the pace in the second half for a deserved victory,' said Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, whose team ended last season without a title for the first time since 1995.
'You can't expect us to always win by two or three goals,' he added. 'It always difficult to win away and Nuremberg played well.'
Defending champions Borussia Dortmund dropped six points off the pace by managing only a 1-1 draw with old rivals Schalke 04 in their Ruhr Valley derby.
Nigerian striker Victor Agali silenced the sell-out 68,000 Dortmund crowd by opening the scoring in the 70th minute.
Brazilian striker Ewerthon levelled with a header a few seconds later, presenting Dortmund with their fourth draw in five games.
NOT ENOUGH
'One point is not enough,' said Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer, whose team remained seventh, three spots below Schalke.
'We wasted great chances after the equaliser,' he added. 'If we continue that way we can forget all about defending our title.'
Bayer Leverkusen, last term's runners-up, slumped to an embarrassing 3-1 defeat to second division champions Hanover 96.
Leverkusen, now a lowly 12th, eight points behind Bayern, moved ahead with a volley from the edge of the box from Turkey midfielder Yildiray Basturk on 11 minutes.
Hanover, hungry for their first points, came back through striker Fredi Bobic four minutes from the break and Leverkusen then collapsed.
Bobic gave his side the lead with 10 minutes remaining before Cameroonian striker Mohammadou Idrissou sealed the visitors' shock victory three minutes later.
Leverkusen, who added weight to their reputation as perpetual runners-up last season by not only missing out on the title but also losing the Champions League and German Cup finals, had won 3-1 at Hansa Rostock on Wednesday for their first win of the Bundesliga campaign.
'After the good performance on Wednesday this is a setback and a bitter disappointment,' said Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmoeller.
'We hardly created any chances and Hanover were fresher physically and more combative than we were,' he added. 'We'll have to talk about all this between us.'