Bayer Leverkusen set a new German record by stretching their unbeaten start to the season to 24 matches on Saturday but missed out on extending their lead at the top after a 0-0 draw with Cologne.
Leverkusen could have pulled three points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich with victory in the 50th Rhine derby but were frustrated by an obdurate Cologne side that boasts the sixth best away record in the Bundesliga.
Veteran Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon was the visitors’ hero, clawing a Sami Hyypia header off his goal-line in the 13th minute and repelling Renato Augusto’s fierce strike early in the second half.
Earlier, Werder Bremen capped a fine week by winning 2-1 at 10-man Mainz to move to within a point of the European qualifying positions.
Bremen booked their place in the last 16 of the Europa League with a 4-1 win against FC Twente on Thursday and they were given an early advantage at Mainz when the hosts’ midfielder Florian Heller was shown a straight red card in the 14th minute after clashing with Aaron Hunt.
Tim Borowski gave the visitors the lead in the 31st minute with a free-kick that caught Mainz goalkeeper Heinz Muller on his heels.
Mainz drew level shortly before half-time when Aristide Bance scored with a thunderous 25m effort for his sixth goal of the season but substitute Sebastian Broedl restored Bremen’s lead with a left-footed strike five minutes after the break.
Bremen are now a point shy of fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund, who occupy the last qualifying berth for next season’s Europa League.
Stuttgart maintained their fine recent form by coming from behind to win 2-1 at home to over-achieving Eintracht Frankfurt.
Christian Gross’ team drew 1-1 at home to Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday and they had striker Cacau to thank again on Saturday after going behind to a Benjamin Koehler effort in the 39th minute.
Cacau scored four goals in the 5-1 demolition of Cologne last weekend and was also on target against Barcelona.
He took his tally to seven in three matches with a quick-fire double shortly before the break to earn Stuttgart a win that sends them up to eighth.
Bottom club Hertha Berlin’s bid to pull away from the foot of the table received a blow when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Hoffenheim.
Borussia Moenchengladbach drew 1-1 at home to Freiburg, while Nuremberg climbed one place to third-bottom after securing a goalless draw at Bochum.
In Friday night’s game, Schalke needed an 83rd-minute winner from Ivan Rakitic to secure a 2-1 win at home to Dortmund that strengthened their grip on third place and lifted them to within a point of the leading pair.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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