Bundesliga wrap: Leverkusen rebound with victory

Bayer Leverkusen reclaimed second place in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 away win over bottom side Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday.

Nine days after being dismantled 3-1 by league-leaders Borussia Dortmund, Leverkusen took the lead after 37 minutes when Michal Kadlec fired a stunning free-kick past an outstretched Christofer Heimeroth in the Monchengladbach goal.

Gonzalo Castro made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time when he headed home a cross from Arturo Vidal at Borussia-Park.

Germany captain Michael Ballack came off the substitute’s bench for Leverkusen 10 minutes after the restart, his first appearance since fracturing a shinbone in September.

Monchengladbach pulled a goal back after 65 minutes thanks to a Martin Stranz strike, but eight minutes later Castro lobbed Heimeroth for his second goal to secure the win.

Leverkusen are now 11 points behind Dortmund ahead of their home clash with Hannover on Friday.

In Sunday’s other game, a last-gasp goal from Hoffenheim midfielder David Alaba helped rescue a point for his side in their 2-2 draw with St Pauli at Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

Hoffenheim took the lead after half an hour when Marvin Compper shot home from close range, but second-half goals to Max Kruse and Gerald Asamoah gave St Pauli a 2-1 lead with nine minutes to play.

With time ticking away, Alaba fired a left-foot shoot past St Pauli goalkeeper Thomas Kessler to deny the visitors a win that would have lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Instead they remain in 16th position on goal difference, level on 19 points with their next opponents – 15th-placed Cologne.

The point lifts Hoffenheim to eighth place and they next face ninth-placed Schalke on Saturday.

Sun 23 January, 2011

Bundesliga wrap: Leverkusen rebound with victory

Bayer Leverkusen reclaimed second place in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 away win over bottom side Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday.

Nine days after being dismantled 3-1 by league-leaders Borussia Dortmund, Leverkusen took the lead after 37 minutes when Michal Kadlec fired a stunning free-kick past an outstretched Christofer Heimeroth in the Monchengladbach goal.

Gonzalo Castro made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time when he headed home a cross from Arturo Vidal at Borussia-Park.

Germany captain Michael Ballack came off the substitute’s bench for Leverkusen 10 minutes after the restart, his first appearance since fracturing a shinbone in September.

Monchengladbach pulled a goal back after 65 minutes thanks to a Martin Stranz strike, but eight minutes later Castro lobbed Heimeroth for his second goal to secure the win.

Leverkusen are now 11 points behind Dortmund ahead of their home clash with Hannover on Friday.

In Sunday’s other game, a last-gasp goal from Hoffenheim midfielder David Alaba helped rescue a point for his side in their 2-2 draw with St Pauli at Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

Hoffenheim took the lead after half an hour when Marvin Compper shot home from close range, but second-half goals to Max Kruse and Gerald Asamoah gave St Pauli a 2-1 lead with nine minutes to play.

With time ticking away, Alaba fired a left-foot shoot past St Pauli goalkeeper Thomas Kessler to deny the visitors a win that would have lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Instead they remain in 16th position on goal difference, level on 19 points with their next opponents – 15th-placed Cologne.

The point lifts Hoffenheim to eighth place and they next face ninth-placed Schalke on Saturday.

Sun 23 January, 2011

Ancelotti backs Blues to rebound

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has again insisted he is not feeling the pressure despite his side’s continuing form slump.

The Blues have won only once in their last nine Premier League games and Ancelotti’s men will be looking to turn their fortunes around at home against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Chelsea thrashed Ipswich 7-0 in their third-round FA Cup tie on Saturday and Ancelotti is hopeful they can repeat that performance against the Lancashire side.

“It was very important. It was not the Premier League, but the FA Cup which is another story,” he said.

“We haven’t had a good performance in our last Premier League games, but now’s the time to come back and try to close the gap.”

“This is the aim for the next game. We can’t say that everything is ok now because we need to have more examination. This game will be a very important exam for us.”

Chelsea currently lie fifth on the table and are nine points adrift of leaders Manchester United having played a game more, but Ancelotti has shrugged off claims that owner Roman Abramovich has lost faith in him.

“I’m relaxed because I think the players have had a difficult moment, obviously, but I feel they’re good, professional and have done everything to move on quickly,” he said.”I feel the players are very close to me, and the club is the same. I have spoken to the owner a lot of times.”

“I think he’s not happy with the results of the team, but this doesn’t matter. He knows what the difficulties are, and he hopes – like us – to look forward to try and beat Blackburn tomorrow.”

Along with Alex, Yury Zhirkov and Yossi Benayoun will also miss Saturday’s game with knee and Achilles’ injuries respectively.

Fri 14 January, 2011

Ancelotti backs Blues to rebound

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has again insisted he is not feeling the pressure despite his side’s continuing form slump.

The Blues have won only once in their last nine Premier League games and Ancelotti’s men will be looking to turn their fortunes around at home against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Chelsea thrashed Ipswich 7-0 in their third-round FA Cup tie on Saturday and Ancelotti is hopeful they can repeat that performance against the Lancashire side.

“It was very important. It was not the Premier League, but the FA Cup which is another story,” he said.

“We haven’t had a good performance in our last Premier League games, but now’s the time to come back and try to close the gap.”

“This is the aim for the next game. We can’t say that everything is ok now because we need to have more examination. This game will be a very important exam for us.”

Chelsea currently lie fifth on the table and are nine points adrift of leaders Manchester United having played a game more, but Ancelotti has shrugged off claims that owner Roman Abramovich has lost faith in him.

“I’m relaxed because I think the players have had a difficult moment, obviously, but I feel they’re good, professional and have done everything to move on quickly,” he said.”I feel the players are very close to me, and the club is the same. I have spoken to the owner a lot of times.”

“I think he’s not happy with the results of the team, but this doesn’t matter. He knows what the difficulties are, and he hopes – like us – to look forward to try and beat Blackburn tomorrow.”

Along with Alex, Yury Zhirkov and Yossi Benayoun will also miss Saturday’s game with knee and Achilles’ injuries respectively.

Fri 14 January, 2011