German football powerhouse Hamburg suffered a major setback in their assault on the Bundesliga title, going down 1-0 to a goal by Mario Gomez in added time at Stuttgart on Sunday.
Bayer Leverkusen remain without a win at their temporary home in Dusseldorf's LTU Arena, the latest attempt on Sunday ending in a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen.
Hamburg's defeat make them three points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg and third in table on goal difference behind Bayern Munich.
The win keeps Stuttgart in fifth, but they are now only three points shy of the Champions League berth currently occupied by Martin Jol's side.
The first chance in a pulsating contest fell in the fourth minute to Gomez, who fired just wide from a tight angle. The visitors were having trouble keeping pace with Stuttgart's high-tempo opening and Ciprian Marica passed up an opportunity to exploit a moment of confusion in the Hamburg defence soon after.
Hamburg gradually found their feet as the half wore on, however, and in the 43rd minute Ivica Olic missed the hosts' goal with an angled drive.
Stuttgart remained the dominant party after the restart, and a fierce drive from skipper Thomas Hitzlsperger pulled a good save out of Hamburg keeper Frank Rost in the 55th minute.
With the clock ticking down and the game seemingly headed for a scoreless draw, substitute Julian Schieber hit the bar for Stuttgart in the 87th minute. That heralded in a frantic final few minutes which saw Rost save again from Gomez and yet another long-range effort hit the bar, this time by Hamburg's Dennis Aogo.
Stuttgart had one final ace up their sleeve however. Hitzlsperger connected with a cross from the left, forcing Rost into another great save. This time, however, the ball dropped to the feet of Gomez, and the points were in the bag for Stuttgart.
In another game on Sunday, Bayer Leverkusen saw a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen.
The result leaves Bayer ninth on 42 points, six short of a UEFA Cup slot.
Leverkusen looked to be on course to end their Dusseldorf jinx when Tranquillo Barnetta fired them in front with a great shot from 20 meters out in the 12th minute. But Werder striker Claudio Pizarro spoiled the party with a 33rd-minute leveler which would prove to be the last goal of the contest. It was the Peruvian international's 16th goal of the season.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2009)
