The Reds failed to convert their numerous scoring chances while Bielefeld's South African international Delron Buckley scored the game's only goal through a counterattack. Hannover missed their opportunity to jump out of the relegation zone, and instead return to the foot of the table.

Hannover's Dariusz Zuraw returned to the lineup in place of Vinicius in central defense and inserted recovered defender Michael Tarnat. Canadian Juliean De Guzman started in midfield and US forward Clint Mathis joined him ahead of Portuguese playmaker Ricardo Sousa.

Bielefeld played with the exactly same team they played against Nuremberg over the weekend and began bravely, Hannover goalkeeper Robert Enke forced to pick up a few high balls in the beginning of the game.

In the 11th, a meek Jiri Stajner's shot was put at Bielefeld's goal, but missed the target completely when he really should have done better.

Bielefeld had only one true chance in the first half, when a wide shot from German Detlev Dammeier deflected at off of Zuraw, and landed on the roof of the net.

After the first 15 minutes, the Reds finally began to threaten, and had a string of chances beginning with Thomas Christiansen. The one-time Spain international took a pass from Altin Lala and shot at the left post from 10 meters, while Mathis' follow-up shot went straight at Bielefeld goalkeeper Mathias Hain's thankful arms.

In the 34th Hannover then saw golden opportuinty wasted.

A Mathis corner to Hannover's Mo Idrissou was headed from 6 meters into the right corner, but Bielefeld's Ervin Skela recovered in the nick of time, and saved it from the line with Hain well beaten.

The first half ended goalless.

The first chance in the second half saw Bielefeld's Fatmir Vata with a shot near the left post in the 46th, but their next chance was more dangerous. Matthias Langkamp tried to score with his knee near the post after a free kick from Skela, but Robert Enke saved well in the 54th.

Hannover's head coach Ewald Lienen then subbed in defensive midfielder Christoph Dabrowski for Albanian captain Altin Lala who picked up an injury.

In the 59th Hannover got the next big opportunity, with a header a few inches wide of near the right post after some brilliant work from Czech Jiri Stajner.

After a very good first half in which he dared to shot at the goal and had nice passes, A fading Mathis was replaced by Sousa in the 73rd in a double switch that also saw Leandro introduced in place of Stajner.

A perfect counter attack from Bielefeld staked them to the 0:1 lead. After a 1-2 combination in the 79th from inside the box, Bielefeld's Klodian Duro lobbed Robert Enke and hit the crossbar. The rebound was converted from Delron Buckley, and the visitors had forged ahead.

Last gasp efforts from Hannover saw Thomas Christiansen fail in the 85th and Mo Idrissou's dangerous header was saved by Hain after being setup by US defender Steven Cherundolo through a free kick.

The final chance saw Hannover's Brazilian Leandro through a header, saved again by the Bielefeld goalie.

The game ended 0:1.

Ewald Lienens comments to that game:

"We missed the chance going ahead. We had 3-4 golden opportunities and Bielefeld just had two chances and scored through a counterattack. Its regrettable after we invested so much. We played with patience and mind."

After the final whistle the Hannover fans shouted "Lienen raus" (Lienen out). Lienen to that situation: "I don't reproach these actions. This was prepared in the media and elsewhere. It was obvious that after a loss I would be criticized for my work and my tactics".

Bielefelds coach Uwe Rapolder said ”We had the luck, and this is good for our moral”.

While Bielefeld moved now to the 6th in the standings 96 missed this chance and is in last place. Now Hannover has to score against Rostock this weekend…!

STATISTICS

Hannover 96: Enke - Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Tarnat - Lala (55. Dabrowski), de Guzman, Mathis (73. Sousa) - Stajner (73. Leandro), Christiansen, Idrissou

Arminia Bielefeld: Hain - Lense, Langkamp, Gabriel, Schuler - Kauf, Dammeier - Owomoyela, Skela (71. Duro), Buckley (91. Grieneisen) - Vata (84. Fink)

Goals: 0:1 Buckley (79.)

Yellow: Cherundolo, de Guzman / Langkamp, Kauf

Referee: Peter Gagelmann (Bremen)

Spectators: 31.288

Pictures: Oliver Vosshage / Bert Pickert

Clint Mathis talks about his goal against Schalke. Right-click for download MP3-file here.

Hannover 96 plays in the next DFB-Pokal game against Borussia Dortmund (in Hannover ;-). The schedule has not been confirmed yet.

Clint Mathis scored the only goal in a crucial 1-0 victory less than 2 minutes after being introduced, as Hannover defeated Schalke 04 at the AWD Arena.

Two players at 96 were making their season debut in the starting lineup: Brazilian Vinicius in the central defense Cameroon international Mo Idrissou at left forward.

With Michael Tarnat out with the flu, Canadian Julian de Guzman took his place at left back. Jiri Stajner and Thomas Christiansen started in attack and Portuguese Ricardo Sousa started in the middle of the midfield in the playmaking role.

Hannover dominated the first 20 minutes at the crowded AWD Arena (35.000 spectators) in a weak game that the enthusiasm tried to fade away.

In the 9th the first chance belonged to Schalke's Lincoln inside the left box but Hannover goalie Robert Enke saved.

Idrissou was getting stronger and dangerous as the game progressed, and saw his first real chance in the 15th from the left, set up by Stajner, but his shot at the goal was deflected by the Schalke defense.

Christiansen had Hannover's best opportunity of the first half in the 17th minute. When only a miraculous save by Schalke keeper Frank Rost kept, Christiansen's powerful header out of the back of the net. This chance was set up by a brilliant pass from US defender Steven Cherundolo.

After the first 20 minutes the game was getting weaker and weaker. No chances for both teams and the first half ended goalless.

Meanwhile, the US striker Clint Mathis began warm ups behind the Hannover goal on order from head coach Ewald Lienen. After a weak game from Portuguese Ricardo Sousa, Mathis was hoping to be subbed in at the start of the second half.

Schalke subbed two players into the game in an attempt to open up the the offense: Joer Pander and Joerg Boehme. That move seemed to pay of almost immediately when a clever Boehme pass to Dane Ebbe Sand was chested over to ex-Hannover striker Gerald Asamoah. Asamoah's shot however, went wanting as it slid past the right post.

It seemed that both teams were exhausted because they both played this week a match in the German cup. While the Hannover offense wasn't clicking, the defense stood very strong, also because the Brazilian Vinicius was back in the team for in place of the suspended Darek Zuraw who received a red card in the last match.

In the 58th after nice 1-2 combination between Christiansen and Stajner, Christiansen tried to shoot at the goal but Schalke defender cleared away the chance.

With 20 minutes to play Schalke put back to back shot shots off the crossbar 2 minutes apart. First by defender Marcelo Bordon, and later Gerald Assamoah.

In the 81st head coach Ewald Lienen put US striker Clint Mathis into the game for Stajner. Two minutes later the "Clint-Commander" won a ball in the midfield who passed it to Christiansen on the left. While Mathis took up a position in the box, Christiansen performed a brilliant pass to Mathis who converted secure into the left corner, sending the AWD Arena into delirium.

The post goal celebration turned a bit controversial as the Georgia native didn't want to be congratulated from his teammates, and instead made obvious jestures directed at Lienen, as if to say "Why didn't you subb me earlier?!". Lienen told at the press conference: " If Clint is complaining like this when he is scoring each game, then I don't care about complaining" , he said that in a funny way.

Schalke came to their last chance in the 90th through a wide shot from Sven Vermant but Robert Enke saved.

The game ended 1:0.

Because of a moment of brilliance from US striker Clint Mathis, Hannover won the game and three points, helped further by a strong Robert Enke and Vinicius Bergantin with a nice comeback.

Statistics

Hannover 96: Enke - Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Vinicius, de Guzman - Lala, Dabrowski, Sousa (67. Wallner) Stajner (81. Mathis), Idrissou Christiansen (90. Stendel)

FC Schalke 04: Rost - Kamphuis, Bordon, Krstajic, Pander (46. Böhme) - Poulsen - Varela, Kobiashvili - Lincoln Asamoah (81. Vermant), Sand

Goals: 1:0 Mathis (83.)

Yellow: de Guzman / -

Referee: Dr. Brych (Muenchen)

Spectators: 34.011

Pictures: Stefan Zwing / Bert Pickert

Hannover won against Cottbus in German cup (DFB Pokal) in penalty shooting 7:6 while Hannover drew with Cottbus 2:2 in the ordinary time. Thomas Christiansen (picture) converted two penaltys in that game and Hannovers goalie Robert Enke saved Reghecampfs trial in penaltyshooting.

Statistics

Energie Cottbus: Berntsen - Szelesi, Berhalter, Hysky, Löw - Reghecampf, Ogungbure, T. Rost, Mokhtari (106. Iordache) - Baumgart, Thurk

Hannover 96: Enke - Schröter, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Tarnat - Barnetta (63. Stendel), Dabrowski, Lala (113. Wallner), Mathis (65. Sousa) - Leandro, Christiansen

Goals: 0:1 Mertesacker (2.), 1:1 Thurk (49.), 1:2 Christiansen (60., FEM), 2:2 Thurk (70.)

Penaltyshooting: 1:0 Berhalter, 1:1 Sousa, 2:1 Szelesi, 2:2 Leandro, 3:2 Hysky, 3:3 Tarnat, 4:3 Thurk, 4:4 Stendel, Enke saves against Reghecampf, 4:5 Christiansen

Yellow: Thurk / Christiansen, Lala, Mathis

Spectators: 8.900

Referee: Stark

Picture: Stefan Zwing

Hannover 96 lost their 4th season game on Saturday 0:3 against Werder Bremen inflicting an early body blow and a penalty converted by Bremen's Ismaél.

Hannover played with Clint Mathis in the starting lineup instead of Portuguese playmaker Ricardo Sousa, and inserted German Christoph Dabrowski in the lineup in an attempt to strenghten the midfield. Leandro and Czech Republic's Jiri Stajner played up front.

Werder Bremen were missing their captain, Frank Baumann who was out with injury, replaced by Lagerblom.

Despite dominating the opening few minutes, Bremen but didn't record any true goal scoring opportunities until the 17th minute. Bremen's Valdez shot deflected off of Per Mertesacker's hand inside the box. The richochet went to Bremen's Frank Fahrenhorst whose follow up shot from long distance barely went wide of the left post.

No penalty was called, but two minutes later Hannover's fate took its course.

Bremen's Ivan Klasnic headed on towards Valdez, who was thrown to the ground by Hannover defender Dariusz Zuraw. Referee Lutz-Michael Froehlich decided penalty and a straight red for Zuraw who left the field with tears in his eyes. Valérien Ismaél converted the penalty by shooting in the right corner for the 1:0 lead.

Hannover went stronger with 10 men on the field, and launched a series of attacks, the best of which was in the 23rd minute when Stajner crossed from the right wing to Brazilian Leandro infront of the goal but Ismaél saved.

A flurry of Bremen chances followed. In the 25th via Tim Borowsk, and again in the 27th via a Valdez header nearly doubled the lead, and finally, a minute later Johan Micoud who missed the goal near the right post.

In the 31st US striker Clint Mathis' sent a 20 meter free kick from the right into the box, but Leandro headed at the bar from 10 meters.

A mistake immediately afterwards from Julian de Guzman nearly cost Hannover dearly when the Canadian international lost the ball to Klasnic who tested Hannover keeper Robert Enke from 14 meters and only a brilliant save kept the score from rising. In the ensuing melee, Valdez went down during a duel with US defender Steven Cherundolo inside the box, but the referee punished Valdez with yellow for a dive.

Hannover got the next big chance to equalize in the 36th when after Michael Tarnat's clever pass to Leandro, the Brazilian's shot was excellently saved by Bremen keeper Reinke from only 9 meters out.

The second half started and it seemed that Hannover playing with ten men, was finally tiring out. Despite two subsititions in the 57th: Sylvio Schroeter for Mathis and Tranquillo Barnetta for Leandro , Hannover never really looked like scoring.

In the 78th, Bremen finally put the game out of reach for Hannover.

Bremen defender Magnin crossed from the left to German international Miroslav Klose inside the box who headed the ball to Micoud near the left post. After beating Steve Cherundolo to the ball, Micoud's own header hit the back of the net and Bremen was up 2:0.

In the dying moments, Klose himself would tally, as his close range shot from from 10 meters, found the net after being brilliantly assisted by Magnin from the left. Hannover defender Dabrowski stood too far away from Klose to prevent that goal.

The game ended 3:0.

After the early blow and the exhausting first half Hannover in which they fought bravely down to just with ten men, Hannover has no time for moral victories. The currently sit dead last in the standings with only two points.

They now have 2 consecutive home matches in agsinst Schalke 04 and Arminia Bielefeld.

STATISTICS

SV Werder Bremen: Reinke - Pasanen (62th Magnin), Ismaël, Fahrenhorst, Stalteri Lagerblom (69th Klose), Ernst, Micoud, Borowski - Klasnic (84th Hunt), Valdez

Hannover 96: Enke Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Tarnat Lala, Dabrowski, de Guzman (79th Christiansen), Mathis (57thSchröter) Stajner, Leandro (57th Barnetta)

Goals: 1:0 Ismaél (20th, Penalty), 2:0 Micoud (78th), 3:0 Klose (88th)
Yellow: Valdez, Ismaél / Cherundolo
Red: Zuraw (19th)
Spectators: 40.100
Referee: Lutz-Michael Froehlich (Berlin)

Picture: Stefan Zwing

Check out our new linksection, click here...

Steven Cherundolo picked up an injury at the game against Freiburg on Sunday. He got hit at the knee, but Dr. Wego Kregehr says: "There will be no consequences for the match against Bremen this weekend".

Nebojsa Krupnikovic took part at practice yesterday after injury. Tomorrow at 10:00 AM "Quillo" Barnetta and Mo Idrissou are taking part at practice too (after injury).

The opening game at the newly revamped "AWD-Arena" on Sunday, saw Hannover draw 2-all with SC Freiburg. Hannover had gone into a 2-0 lead with goals from Jiri Stajner in the 2nd and 8th minutes, with Freiburg equalizing in the second half.

Hannover played with three up front, Jiri Stajner, Landro Fonseca and the debuting Roman Wallner. As always there was an injury list with Mo Idrissou, Vladimir But, Nebojsa Krupnikovic and the swiss Tranquillo Barnetta unable to play.

It only took 74 seconds for Jiri Stajner to score the first goal for Hannover. The ball deflected off Freiburgs defender, Berner, after a free kick from the brazilian Leandro Fonseca. Stajner then headed in over Freiburgs goalie Golz from 6 meters.

Six minutes later Micheal Tarnat crossed the ball into the area, but as Diarra tried to rescue the ball, it was deflected to Hannovers new boy, Wallner. His shot was then deflected by the Freiburg defence, only to land in front of Stajner who made no mistakes netting the ball for 2-0 lead for Hannover.

Hannover then carried on to dominate the first half with Freiburg only working one chance. Hannovers Per Mertesacker gave the ball away inside the box to Freiburgs Roda Antar, who shot past the left post.

Freiburgs coach Volke Finke started the second 45 minutes with a new tactic. He changed the four man defence into a three man defence, substituting two new attacking players for both wings. It was Hannover who had the first chance in the second half though, through a free kick by Tarnat, which was saved by Freiburgs goalkeeper Richard Golz .

It was the 59th minute as Freiburgs Wilfried Sanou surprised Hannovers defence with a pass from the right wing into the area. Regis Dorn then scored from close range, putting the ball into the net between the Hannover defenders Per Mertessacker and Steven Cherundolo, making it 2:1.

Hannovers coach, Ewald Lienen, then made his substitutions, three all in all. Stendel came for Leandro and Dabrowski for Sousa, both in the 65th minute. Three minutes later Wallner was replaced by Thomas Christiansen.

In the 73rd minute it was more of the same old song and dance for Hannover. Freiburgs Ellery Cairo equalized with a header from a Tskitishvili free kick. The ball was then deflected by Canadian Julian de Guzman. It was only a minute later as Regis Dorn failed to convert the ball, after a counter attack over the left side initiated by Freiburgs Iashvili.

The Reds then had the last chance of the game, Hannovers Daniels Stendel was set up by Lala, but his shot at goal was saved by Freiburgs goalie Golz. The game finished as a two all draw.

Hannover failed to take three points from the game because they weren´t able to score the all important third goal and they played inconsistently over both halfes of the game. Next week Hannover is away from home at German champions Werder Bremen.

Statistics

Hannover 96: Enke - Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Tarnat - Lala, de Guzman, Stajner, Sousa (65. Dabrowski), Leandro (65.Stendel) - Wallner (69. Christiansen)

SC Freiburg: Golz - Willi (46. Dorn), Diarra, Mohamad, Berner (46.Schumann) - Riether, Tskitishvili - Cairo, Antar (76. Tanko), Sanou - Iashvili

Goals: 1:0 Stajner (2.), 2:0 Stajner (8.), 2:1 Dorn (59.), 2:2 Cairo (73.)

Yellow: Zuraw / Sanou

Spectators: 32.447

Pictures: Oliver Vosshage / Bert Pickert

Hannover 96 won on Friday 3:1 against second Bundesliga club Alemannia Aachen in a friendly match. Roman Wallner was the best scorer on the field (2 goals). Jiri Stajner netted the third goal for the reds. Aachens Michalke scored to the final result 3:1 (penalty).

Hannover 96: Juric - Schröter, Vinicius, Schneider (69. Stefulj), Tarnat (46. Zuraw) - Dabrowski, Krupnikovic, Stajner ( 63. Stendel), Leandro - Christiansen, Wallner (73. Montabell)

Alemannia Aachen: Nicht - Paulus, Hengen, Stehle, Brinkmann, Noll, Rolfes (46. Plaßhenrich), Petrovic, Gomez ( 74. Pinto), Bruns (74. Michalke), Iwelumo

Goals: 1:0 Wallner (22.), 2:0 Wallner (58.), 3:0 Stajner (62.), 3:1 Michalke (89., Penalty)

Spectators: 3.000
Referee: Babak Rafati

Picture: Stefan Zwing

The games from the 5th until the 8th Bundesliga day and the next DFB game are scheduled:

09/18/04 Sat	Werder Bremen : Hannover 96	15:30 PM
09/22/04 Wed	FC Energie Cottbus : Hannover 96	19:00 PM [DFB Pokal]
09/25/04 Sat	Hannover 96 : FC Schalke 04	15:30 PM
09/28/04 Tue	Hannover 96 : DSC Arminia Bielefeld	18:00 PM
10/02/04 Sat	Hansa Rostock : Hannover 96	15:30 PM
10/17/04 Sun	Hannover 96 : VfL Wolfsburg	17:30 PM

On Friday the 3rd of September Hannover 96 plays another friendly match against 2nd Bundesliga club Alemannia Aachen in Alfeld, 18:30 PM.