Germany defender Marcell Jansen scored both goals to put 10-man Hamburg back on top of the Bundesliga on Sunday in a 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen.
Jansen’s goals mean Hamburg now lead Hoffenheim by two points with Hertha Berlin dropping to third, while Bayern Munich are fourth — four points behind Hamburg — and Bayer Leverkusen are fifth, six points behind the leaders.
It was the first time Jansen has scored twice in a league game in his career.
“I’m delighted,” said the 23-year-old, who has 28 caps for Germany. “Hopefully, we can keep our place at the top of the table and build on this.”
Ex-Bayern Munich star Jansen put his side into the lead with his first goal of the season when he fired home from the edge of the penalty area after just 11 minutes with a superb strike that gave Bayer goalkeeper Rene Adler no chance.
Striker Patrick Helmes equalized for Bayer with his third goal in two games, after a pair last weekend at Hoffenheim, on 29 minutes and the game looked to be heading for a draw. But Jansen volleyed home on 66 minutes after a header from Jose Paolo Guerrero.
Hamburg’s Jerome Boateng was shown a red card on 86 minutes for a foul just moments after earning his first yellow, but Leverkusen could not make the extra man count.
German Bundesliga
Team | P | GD | PTS | |
1 | Hamburg | 21 | 5 | 42 |
2 | TSG Hoffenheim | 21 | 18 | 40 |
3 | Hertha Berlin | 21 | 8 | 40 |
4 | Bayern Munich | 21 | 14 | 38 |
5 | Bayer Leverkusen | 21 | 15 | 36 |
6 | Wolfsburg | 21 | 15 | 36 |
7 | VfB Stuttgart | 21 | 7 | 33 |
8 | Borussia Dortmund | 21 | 6 | 32 |
9 | Schalke 04 | 21 | 7 | 31 |
10 | Cologne | 21 | -5 | 28 |
11 | Werder Bremen | 21 | 8 | 27 |
12 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 21 | -8 | 23 |
13 | Hannover 96 | 21 | -14 | 21 |
14 | Cottbus | 21 | -16 | 20 |
15 | Arminia Bielefeld | 21 | -13 | 19 |
16 | VfL Bochum | 21 | -10 | 18 |
17 | Karlsruhe | 21 | -19 | 17 |
18 | Borussia M’gladbach | 21 | -18 | 16 |
RSS