Martin Harnik scored in each half to give Stuttgart a 2-1 win at Freiburg in a scrappy southwestern derby in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Harnik scored against the run of play in the 32nd minute, when he seized on Oliver Barth’s poor clearance from a corner before teeing himself up to shoot through a host of players past the helpless Oliver Baumann.
The unmarked Austria striker made Freiburg pay for missed chances again in the 73rd, when he controlled Cristian Molinaro’s cross before driving a dipping effort to the left corner over the despairing goalkeeper.
Papiss Demba Cisse pulled one back in the 85th, when he took a return pass from Cedrick Makiadi, sent Khalid Boulahrouz the wrong way and slotted the ball between Sven Ulreich’s legs.
With one win from six games, Freiburg are 15th in the table and could end the weekend in the relegation zone. Stuttgart move to third with the other games still to be played.
Freiburg were hoping to bounce back from their 7-0 mauling at Bayern Munich last weekend — its biggest ever Bundesliga defeat — and the home side made the better start after kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes because of a breakdown in tram service.
“After the 7-0 defeat, we knew they’d put us under pressure and they did that very well. They made it very difficult for us,” Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia said. “It wasn’t easy.”
Ulreich reacted smartly to keep out Cisse’s header in the 11th — and then again from the Senegal striker on the rebound.
Harnik almost scored in the 15th, firing narrowly wide from a difficult angle, before Zdravko Kuzmanovic shot over as the visitors recovered from their slow start.
With the rain pouring down, Freiburg defender Felix Bastians tried his luck from distance on the slippery grass, his shot whizzing past the right post in the 23rd.
Ulreich’s flying one-handed save denied Stefan Reisinger five minutes later, before Harnik was in the right place to collect Barth’s attempted clearance.
“It was lucky, because I hurt my thigh and that’s why I was standing there. Normally I’d be in closer [to goal for a corner],” Harnik said.
Tackles were flying and the game became increasing fractious with full commitment shown from both sides. Referee Guido Winkmann issued nine yellow cards altogether.
“There were little niggly fouls, but the atmosphere was good,” Harnik said.
Stefan Reisinger fired wide after controlling the ball on his chest before the interval and Ulreich denied him after it, tapping the Freiburg striker’s header over the bar.
“It’s much harder to accept this defeat because we were the better team. In Munich, that wasn’t the case,” Baumann said. “We started well, and did things well, but we missed the early goal and then after they scored it was a little hard to get back into the game ... The chances were there, but unfortunately the goal wasn’t.”
The home side lacked imagination going forward, with Stuttgart invariably able to clear attempted crosses for the head of Cisse. The direct approach didn’t work either, Julian Schuster firing a free kick harmlessly wide in the 69th.
Harnik punished Freiburg four minutes later, when he scored his third goal of the season.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely