UEFA, GERMANY
Wasteful FC Bayern München had to settle for a goalless draw at home to surprise Bundesliga leaders 1. FC Nürnberg on Saturday. Bayern, double winners for the past two seasons, had enough chances to beat their Bavarian rivals comfortably but Roy Makaay missed an open goal in the second half and Lukas Podolski made little impact after coming on as a substitute.
Hargreaves out
A draw was enough for Nuremberg to edge back to the top with seven points from their three matches. Bayern are behind them on goal difference, sharing second spot with FC Schalke 04 after their 2-0 win over Werder Bremen on Friday. Bayern, who were again without Owen Hargreaves - the England midfielder who is eager for a move to Manchester United FC, had the best of the chances and Roy Makaay missed an open goal as the champions dropped their first points of the season.
Missed chances
Bastian Schweinsteiger went close a couple of times before the Germany winger played in Makaay early in the second half. The Dutchman rounded the goalkeeper but then scuffed a shot into the side-netting when he seemed certain to score. “Sadly you get days like this, when you have chances but the ball just won’t go in,” Bayern coach Felix Magath said. “We don’t have maximum points but we do have seven from three games and we can live with that.”
Mönchengladbach triumph
VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach are up to fourth after they claimed their second win of the season against DSC Arminia Bielefeld thanks to a goal from Carlos Kahe with half an hour to go. The Brazilian was on hand to head in the only goal of the game from close range after Marcell Jansen had nodded on a corner.
Dortmund joy
BV Borussia Dortmund got their first win of the season 3-1 away to VfB Stuttgart. Dortmund took the lead in the 20th minute when Ludovic Magnin sent a back header past his own goalkeeper. Stuttgart hit back with an half an hour gone, defender Serdar Tasci heading in from Alexander Farnerud’s corner, but Dortmund were back in front two minutes later thanks to Florian Kringe’s header. Alex Frei made the game safe with two minutes to go.
Ramelow off
Carsten Ramelow was sent off for dissent seven minutes from time but his Bayer 04 Leverkusen side were able to hold out for a 1-1 draw at home to VfL Wolfsburg. Vragel da Silva’s late goal gave FC Energie Cottbus a 1-0 victory against VfL Bochum 1848 in the battle of the newly promoted sides, and TSV Alemannia Aachen defeated Hannover 96 3-0 away. Hannover, like Bochum, are still looking for their first points of the season. 1. FSV Mainz 05 are at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday when Hamburger SV host Hertha BSC Berlin.