Fabio Vieira scored his maiden Bundesliga goal in injury time as SV Hamburg won for the first time in six league games with a 2-1 home victory over VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.
Wolfsburg drew 1-1 at seventh-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and were only denied a first win in four league games by a controversial stoppage-time video review, which gave the Eagles a penalty.
Substitute Michy Batshuayi converted from the spot after Denis Vavro was harshly adjudged to have fouled Arthur Theate by clipping his head and standing on his foot. Aaron Zehnter had given the Wolves, who stay 15th, a deserved lead with a volley at the far post.
Mainz are now a point adrift at the bottom following a 4-0 loss at Freiburg, where the visitors went down to 10 men after just 28 minutes when Paul Nebel was dismissed for a studs-up tackle.
Lukas Kübler and Vincenzo Grifo had already put the mid-table home side well ahead. Johan Manzambi and Patrick Osterhage added goals in the second half as Mainz failed to win for the eighth straight Bundesliga game.
In Hamburg, Stuttgart substitute Deniz Undav had scored for a third straight Bundesliga game to equalize Robert Glatzel's opener, but the hosts got a much-needed win after a quick counter-attack to send the Volksparkstadion wild.
Portuguese midfielder Vieira had previously been enduring a difficult loan spell from Arsenal having been sent off twice.
Stuttgart could have gone fourth with a victory but sit sixth. Hamburg are up to 13th having pulled off the win despite being down to 10 men at the time following Alexander Rössing-Lelesiit's dismissal for a second booking on 81 minutes.
Hamburg coach Merlin Polzin told a news conference: "It was a very special afternoon of football. We are all moving in the same direction together – and it makes me proud to see how our team are developing."
"Taking responsibility"
Stuttgart rotated heavily following Thursday's 4-0 Europa League win at Go Ahead Eagles and ultimately paid the price.
It was tough on in-form Undav, who became the first Stuttgart player to score six Bundesliga goals without a team-mate also netting. He bagged a hat-trick in last weekend's 3-3 draw with Borussia Dortmund and scored twice in the previous win over Augsburg.
But the Germany forward, overlooked in recent national team squads, blamed himself for the defeat in Hamburg after a Stuttgart free-kick went awry and the hosts sped up field for Vieira to score.
"It was a miscommunication between me and Angelo (Stiller). I explained something to him that he didn't quite understand. That's why I'm taking responsibility," the 29-year-old told DAZN.
Before the game, 8,000 Hamburg fans demonstrated against planned government security rules in stadiums, a Hamburg fan group said. Protests have taken place across Bundesliga grounds in recent weeks.
In Frankfurt, Christian Eriksen shone for Wolfsburg and was aghast at the decision to award a late spot-kick.
"If that's penalty, there is going to be 10 penalties every game," the Denmark international said as interim Wolves boss Daniel Bauer missed out on a first win in his second stint in charge.
Frankfurt – without the injured Jonathan Burkardt – looked largely toothless before the late drama, as they did in the 3-0 Champions League home defeat by Atalanta in midweek.
But they could point to another penalty appeal in the second half which was arguably more of a spot-kick than the one that was given.
- Bundesliga
- Germany
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
