Bundesliga Matchday 28

Borussia Dortmund v. Hannover 96 4:1 (0:0)

Goal Scorers: BVB – Götze 59’, Barrios 64’, 73’, Großkreutz 83’; Hannover – Abdellaoue 57’

After the bomb threat outside of the Signal Iduna Park the previous day, Dortmund were just feeling lucky to get on the pitch and try and get back on track (although they never felt they went off course…). After a tense first half, BVB responded well in the second half. It took a moment of sloppy defending and the following 96ers goal from Abdellaoue to compel Mario Götze to take over, and how! He showed glimpses of the future for German football. He is a classy midfielder who can fight and win back possession but also slalom through defense as he did this weekend. This should be a minor hiccup for Hannover, FCB overtook them for third, but I think Hannover’s momentum should propel them back.

FC Bayern München v. Borussia Mönchengladbach 1:0 (0:0)

Goal Scorers: FCB Robben 77’

The press is saying that Bayern are back. Personally, I don’t see it. Yes, they have hired Jupp Heynckes as their upcoming manager (again?!), but they walked through this match like zombies. There are very few seasons in Germany in which FCB are fighting for third place. The Bavarians will be happy when this season is dead and buried. The result was never really in doubt, Bayern holding 61.7% of possession, but that has been the story of the season – bundles of possession and a lack of true goal scoring prowess. I realize they have scored 3 or 4 a couple of times, but these seem to be the exception that proves the rule.

FC St. Pauli v. FC Schalke 04 0:2 (0:1)

Goal Scorers: Schalke – Raul 26’, Draxler 66’

*This game was abandoned after 88 minutes after a beer cup hit assistant referee, Thomas Schiffner. Up until this point, it would have been a straight forward win for Schalke, which is odd because they did not control possession and were matched for grit by the home side – that is sort of St. Pauli’s thing…

*Schalke look forward to a mid week Champions League match.

* Two acts of violence this weekend, the bomb scare the day before the Dortmund match, and the Schalke match, is a worrying sign for a league that usually squashes the violence out. The German FA will take serious steps to get this out.

SV Werder Bremen v. VfB Stuttgart 1:1 (1:1)

Goal Scorers: Bremen – Frings 34’; VfB – Hajnal 13’ 

This match was an exciting relegation battle – and this almost seems like an oxymoron for these two storied clubs. Bremen walk away in 12^th only four points away from relegation, and VfB are only two points away. In all honesty, Bremen should be safe because the teams around them (especially Frankfurt) are in serious danger of going down. Bremen have the class to stay up, but conventional wisdom is not consulted for relegation. Bremen controlled the match, registering 57% possession.

1. FSV Mainz 05 v. SC Freiburg 1:1 (0:1)

Goal Scorers: Mainz – Allagui 74’; Freiburg Cisse 1’

Freiburg could not have gotten off to a better start. On the road, against a nearby rival in the table, and against a Mainz side who have been playing better. Speaking of Mainz, this was the type of game they would have won in the first half of the season. Especially with 66% possession! 12 shots and only one goal! 66% passing completion – which is not a great stat, but against Freiburg’s 34% it looks better! The exciting player at Mainz, no not Schürrle, but Allagui nailed the equalizer to make a tense final fifteen minutes.

1. FC Kaiserslautern v. Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0:1 (0:0)

Goal Scorers: Leverkusen – Sam 74’

This is the sort of match Leverkusen needs to win, especially with the “Bundesliga Managerial Carousel” affecting them. They are losing Heynckes and getting Freiburg manager, Robin Dutt, at the end of the season, but on the field they look unfazed. Sidney Sam – arguably Leverkusen’s player of the season – knocked home the winner away at K-town. I don’t think this match was ever in doubt; it was just a matter of Leverkusen knocking in one of their 10 shots and turning their 60% possession into a goal. Kaiserslautern are only two points away from relegation, and are seemingly heading that way.

A question for Leverkusen next season is what will Dutt do with Ballack? His days are well behind him, and even in Germany – a league not as pacey as the EPL – still struggles to play at the top level.

1899 Hoffenheim v. Hamburger SV 0:0 (0:0)

Borden, Snooze, a game of errors, insipid…

1. FC Köln v. 1. FC Nürnberg 1:0 (0:0)

Goal Scorers: Köln – Novakovic 90+2

Unlike the above dire match in Sinsheim, Novakovic saved the previous 90 minutes of hard work and grit by getting his home side the win in added time. In all fairness, Nürnberg deserved the draw – if not a win. Nürnberg, the form side of 2011, controlled this match and edged out possession, but were punished for a lapse in the end.

Vfl Wolfsburg v. Eintracht Frankfurt 1:1 (0:0)

Goal Scorers: VfL – Mandzukic 85’; Frankfurt – Meier 59’

 Wow… 

I recommend Magath take his team to his infamous “hill” workout. I have never witnessed a game in which a draw is absolutely moronic. Wolfsburg should have capitalized and punished Frankfurt. 65% possession and 27 shots (compared to a measly 6 by Eintracht)! That was the story of this match… Personally, I am going to go work on my shooting, this match hurt to watch…