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BUNDES LIGA: Bayern rally to move up to fourth, Hoffenheim go top

Dortmund’s Jakub Blaszczykowski, front, challenges for the ball with Cologne’s Kevin Pezzoni during their German Bundesliga match in Cologne, Germany, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

French star Franck Ribery led a Bayern Munich fightback as both goalscorer and provider in their 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday to put the defending Bundesliga champions fourth.

After Bayern defender Martin Demichelis scored an own goal to give Frankfurt the lead, Ribery got down to business and his cross was converted by Miroslav Klose to put Munich level, before he hit the winner on 70 minutes.

“We failed in the first half to score two or three clear goals as we controlled the game,” Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “Unfortunately, after the own goal, the situation became a bit precarious for a moment, but it didn’t disturb me, as the team are in top condition and settled. We seized back control of the game and sealed the win, our goal now is to be top of the table.”

Having come from 2-0 down to beat Wolfsburg 4-2 in Munich last weekend, Bayern have now risen from 11th in the league in the space of five days.

Despite dominating the first half, when they only allowed Frankfurt a single shot on goal, Eintracht took the lead when Argentine defender Martin Demichelis turned the ball into his own net on 55 minutes. Frankfurt midfielder Markus Steinhoefer put in a testing cross and when Bayern’s Demichelis attempted to clear the danger it went in off the post.

German Bundesliga   Team P GD PTS 1 TSG Hoffenheim  10 12 22 2 Bayer Leverkusen 10 13 21 3 Hamburg 10 2 20 4 Bayern Munich  10 6 18 5 Hertha Berlin 10 4 18 6 Schalke 04 10 7 17 7 Borussia Dortmund 10 3 17 8 Wolfsburg 10 7 16 9 VfB Stuttgart 10 3 16 10 Werder Bremen 10 1 13 11 Cologne 10 -4 13 12 Eintracht Frankfurt  10 -5 9 13 Karlsruhe  10 -8 9 14 Hannover 96  10 -10 9 15 Arminia Bielefeld  10 -6 8 16 VfL Bochum 10 -5 7 17 Borussia M’gladbach 10 -11 7 18 Cottbus 10 -9 6

But Munich leveled when their French star Franck Ribery sprinted down the right wing and dragged his cross back for Miroslav Klose to score on 64 minutes. And Ribery then bagged one of his own when Klose returned the compliment by scrambling in a cross which Ribery slotted home on 70 minutes.

But it was a bruising second half, as Bayern’s robust tactics earned Jurgen Klinsmann’s team five yellow cards in the second 45 minutes.

Hoffenheim went back to the top of the league with a convincing 3-1 win at 10-man VfL Bochum and striker Vedad Ibisevic has now scored 11 goals in 10 games, having converted a second-half penalty.

Hamburg are third in the Bundesliga thanks to their 2-0 win over Stuttgart.

Hamburg took the lead when Germany defender Thomas Hitzelsperger brought down David Jarolim in the area and Piotr Trochowski slotted home the penalty on 17 minutes. Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen hit the second on 74 minutes.

Hertha Berlin are up to fifth after their 3-0 win over Hanover, while Borussia Dortmund go seventh after their 1-0 win in Cologne.
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