Bayern stumbles over Nuremberg despite leading Bundesliga

BERLIN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Record champion Bayer Munich was held to a 1-1 draw against drop-zone team Nuremberg at the Bundesliga on Saturday. Stuttgart humiliated Cologne while Dortmund white washed bottom team Hannover.

From the kick off Bayern dominated but was unable to produce goal-scoring scenes while Nuremberg kept it tight at the back. Bayern needed 38 minutes to score the deserved opener when its youngster striker Thomas Mueller slotted home from 11 meters into top right corner after striker Mario Gomez assisted with a diagonal pass from the right wing.

After interval Bayern picked up where they left off and dominated. With 54 minutes into the match Nuremberg midfielder youngster Ilkay Guedogan marked the stunning equalizer after Bayern defence failed to clear the ball from goal area.

Bayern pressed for the winner but was unable to do so within the final whistle. Nuremberg astonishingly ends Bayern winning run.

Nuremberg remains in drop zone while Bayern moved on first position, for now, with 49 points, one point ahead of Bayer Leverkusen that will interfere on Sunday against Werder Bremen.

A hat trick was not enough for Stuttgart striker Cacau. Stuttgart heavy defeated midtable team Cologne 5-1.

From the beginning Stuttgart staged offensively-minded football. After 13 minutes striker Cacau gave Stuttgart an early lead.

Stuttgart turned up at the 31st minute when Cacau doubled the lead from 17 meter into top right. Stuttgart went one better only eight minutes later Cacau tripled the lead to wrap his hat trick. Cacau utilized a fumble by Cologne goalkeeper Frayd Mondragon from close range.

Harmless Cologne was only able to score the consolation goal seconds before break. With 70 minutes on the clock striker Pavel Progrebnyak extended the lead for Stuttgart by header. Finally Cacau had not enough and marked his fourth goal to seal three points for Stuttgart.

Stuttgart jumped from 10th to 9th position while Cologne slipped from 13th to 14th position.

Dortmund humiliated relegation threatened Hannover 4-1.

Dortmund started highly motivated and scored the opener minutes before break. Defender Neven Subotic headed home the opener from close distance after a corner by midfielder Nuri Sahin.

With 60 minutes into the match Hannover defender Mario Eggiman doubled the lead for Dortmund after he deflected a free kick into his own goal. 17 minutes later striker Nelson Valdez tripled the lead for Dortmund. Valdez netted home into open goal.

Hannover was able to score the consolation goal at the 81th minute. Striker Arouna Kone hammered the ball from 16 meter into bottom right. Two minutes before final whistle Dortmund youngster striker Kevin Grosskreutz extended the lead to mark the final 4-1 score.

Both teams remain on their positions, Dortmund on 5th and Hannover on 16th position.

Elsewhere, both matches Hamburg vs. Frankfurt and Mainz vs. Bochum ended goal less after 90 minutes. Hamburg remains on 4th position while Frankfurt climbed from 7th to 6th position.

On Sunday Bundesliga Werder Bremen will host Bayern chaser Bayer Leverkusen. Defending champion Wolfsburg will face 3rd positioned Schalke. And, Freiburg will meet bottom team Berlin.

Already on Friday struggling Hoffenheim shared points with Gladbach after a two all draw. Hoffenheim slipped from 9th to 10th position while Gladbach remains on 11th position.