Last-place Borussia Mönchengladbach battled to a three-three draw with Bayern Munich at Borussia-Park, effectively ending the champions’ last faint title hopes. ‘Gladbach had taken the lead after just five minutes as Hans-Jörg Butt misjudged a cross from Patrick Herrmann, but Mario Gómez pulled Bayern level shortly after with a back post header from Toni Kroos’ corner. The visitors controlled much of the remaineder of the first half, hitting the crossbar twice before Bastian Schweinsteiger put Bayern ahead with five minutes to play in the first half. Things looked to have gotten much worse for ‘Gladbach just two minutes later as Sebastian Schachten tripped Hamit Altintop to give Bayern a penalty, but Schweinsteiger hammered his spot-kick against the post.
Borussia Mönchengladbach Hold Bayern Munich, Hamburg Beat Hoffenheim
Mönchengladbach took heart from their let-off in the second half and scored two in quick succession to re-take the lead. On the counter, Igor de Camargo slipped the ball through to Marco Reus, who smashed his shot in past Butt to bring ‘Gladbach level on fifty-six minutes. Four minutes later, it was Reus who provided the pass for de Camargo, who skipped past Van Buyten and gave the hosts a surprising lead. Bayern came back into the game after throwing away their lead, pinning Die Fohlen back around their own penalty area. The champions did earn an equalizer, Philipp Lahm slicing the ball in with six minutes to play, but both sides had to settle for just a point. The draw means ‘Gladbach are still bottom of the league, albeit level on points with Stuttgart, who have a game in hand, while FCB drop to ninth, nine in arrears of leaders Dortmund but just three behind Frankfurt for third place.
Elsewhere, Hamburg came out on top against Hoffenheim despite going a goal down after just six minutes to a Sejad Salihovic penalty. Heiko Westermann levelled at the very end of the first half and Mladen Petric scored a deserved winner seven minutes from time to move HSV up to sixth, level on points with Hoffenheim. Nuremberg ended FC Cologne’s short run of form with a three-one victory at the Frankenstadion, Theofanis Gekas scored his third consecutive brace as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Wolfsburg, and Mainz lost their second in succession, falling one-nil to SC Freiburg courtesy of Papiss Cissé‘s eighth goal of the season.
