Clint Mathis at the MLS back again, it's official!

Hannover 96 confirmed, that the 28 year old US striker left the club after one year in Hannover during the winter break. The "Clint-Commander", named by the 96-fans, will play from now on at Salt Lake City in the MLS.

Last season he played sixteen games and has scored 4 goals. But he coudn't get into the starting-11 this season, he made just 4 games under the coach Ewald Lienen (one goal).

Good luck to Clint!

The games from the 22nd to the 27th Bundesliga day have been scheduled:

02/19/05 Sat	Hannover 96 : Werder Bremen	15:30 GMT
02/27/05 Sun	Schalke 04 : Hannover 96	17:30 GMT
03/05/05 Sat	Hannover 96 : Hansa Rostock	15:30 GMT
03/12/05 Sat	VfL Wolfsburg : Hannover 96	15:30 GMT
03/19/05 Sat	Hannover 96 : Borussia Moenchengladbach	15:30 GMT
04/02/05 Sat	1. FC Kaiserslautern : Hannover 96	15:30 GMT

Defensive midfielder Altin Lala has agreed a contract extension with Hannover 96 which will see him remain until the summer of 2007.

The 29-year-old Albanian joined the club from Borussia Fulda in 1998, and quickly became an established figure at the starting-11.

Hannover 96 will be from the 5th to the 14th of January 2005 at the training camp in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) during the winter break.

Hannover 96 will take part at 2 friendlies:

• 08th of January 2005 against LR Ahlen (2nd Bundesliga)
• 12th of January 2005 against AZ Alkmaar (1st league Netherlands)

He is definitely one of the strongest players for Hannover and has recently even been showing goal scoring skills. Steve Cherundolo scored the game winner against Hamburg and also connected in the away victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

You are one of the symbols of Hannover’s unbelievable season and are playing extremely strong and stable.

Steve: I don’t think I am playing better than, for example, last year.

But you are scoring goals, too…

Steve: Sure, but I have always played offensively. The season we were promoted I played a larger offensive role and provided a lot of assists.

But that was in the 2. Bundesliga…

Steve: Correct. Back then, we controlled every opponent and pressed even harder. Now the teams are of course a class better. We play more in the back and build a defensive wall. Now we pick and choose when we go forward and do this a lot on the flanks.

Speaking of the flanks, how is it playing with Silvio Schröter?

Steve: I like to play with Silvio. We communicate well and he does a lot for the defense when I move forward. At the same time I try to play him the ball as much as possible so that he can shine in one-on-one situations, which his greatest strength.

Based on your 15 goals allowed you have the strongest defense in the league. Before the coaching change that was different. What are the reasons for this?

Steve: I have never really publicly commented on this. But anybody who understands a little bit about soccer knew that we had problems. We were always told to attack and to move forward as quickly as possible. We were burned a lot with a pass behind the back four. We stood there like a bunch of idiots and the other team scored a lot of goals. Now things look a lot better. Then it looked pretty awful.

Steve: and you were often the scapegoat…

Steve: I got a lot of heat in the press. But soccer is still a team sport. Now everybody is talking about the great defense, but people forget that are strikers do a lot for the defense. Thomas Christiansen does an unbelievable amount in the back, Daniel Stendel and Silvio too. Even Krupi - maybe not always in practice but in the games (laughs).

That means the weak defense in the past didn’t have to do with the personnel?

Steve: no, it didn’t. I will say again that I am not playing better now. A good example is Real Madrid. People always say that they have bad defenders. But that is not true. Real has world-class defenders. But they look bad because the players up front don’t help out in the back.

It is also noticeable that the team doesn’t foul as much or receive as many yellow cards… Steve: That is simply a result of the system. The reason is that we are much closer to the opponents. We know where to position ourselves and are as a result much more secure with the ball.

It also looks like the team is having a lot of fun now…

Steve: That is one of our biggest strengths. We like to have fun and laugh and joke a lot in practice. Sometimes the coach keeps us in check, but we have always had this type of atmosphere, even when we were having so many problems last year. That’s just us.

How important is it that the starting 11 has been the same for some time now?

Steve: Very important. I know exactly where Altin, Silvio or Per are and where I need to play the ball. We need to keep this together as long as possible. A positive example is Bremen. With them you can see how important it is to have a team that plays so well together. The flip side is Dortmund. A few of the starters are injured and they are having a lot of problems.

So it is more the team and not the individuals that have led to the success…

Steve: Exactly. The WC 2002 also showed this. Teams like Turkey and the USA went a long way. Or Porto and Monaco, who were in the Champions League finals last year. They made up for the individual weaknesses and ran so much at times that you thought they were doped. The team is the most important thing. You can also accomplish a lot with out the big names. Another example is Bielefeld. When you look at the roster, you think they are a clear relegation candidate. But they figured out that you can only accomplish success by playing as a team.

The team is playing with a lot of stability. Can we call it a hot steak?

Steve: No. The most important game was in Munich. We weren’t awake in the first few minutes and were quickly down 1-0. If they hadn’t scored early they game would have been much different. Especially in the second half, we noticed that we could play with them and that helped us with the subsequent games.

Presently you are fourth in the league. Is the UEFA Cup a realistic goal or will the team move back down the table?

Steve: Based on the last two seasons, no. But why not? We will lose a few games but we have gotten a bit smarter in the meantime.

What do you mean?

Steve: We gave a lot of games away late in the first two Bundesliga seasons. We learned from this. In the past, we were told to push forward until the final whistle. Now we pull back and win 1-0 or 2-0. There are only one or two teams in the world that can always push forward. That is Real Madrid and maybe Manchester United, but not us.

How is the contract negotiation going?

Steve: First I am going get the Berlin game behind me, and then I will meet with my agent during the break and talk about the Hannover offer. There will be a decision at the latest when we start training camp.

That means the fans can hope that you will stay in Hannover?

Steve: Of course. As of now I haven’t had any contact with other teams. And I am not even thinking about it.

After five years in Hannover you aren’t thinking about a change of scenery?

Steve: No, there are always new challenges here. At first we were in the 2. Bundesliga and then we knew we would have to fight to stay up. Now things are better. We have a new stadium and the club is growing, as am I. And as long as that is the case, I don’t see a reason to change. The next logical step is to play internationally. And it doesn’t matter if that is this year or in two years. This year might be a little early anyway.

What effect has the new stadium had on your recent success and what do you make of the lean attendance numbers?

Steve: We are professionals and it shouldn’t matter if we play in front of 5,000 or 50,000. Of course it is easier if the stadium is full. A full stadium is extremely important for inspiring the team with their songs to a comeback. Overall, the new stadium is cool. But I still have the feeling that we are playing at a construction site. The locker rooms aren’t finished yet and we have to walk across gravel and dirt to get to the stadium. When that is all finished, we can talk about a new stadium.

The winter break starts after the Hertha game. Is that a bad time for a break?

Steve: No, not at all. We need a break. I am pretty much fit, but I need to shut things down a bit.

How important is it for you that you play or played with other North Americans such as Clint Mathis, Julian de Guzman and earlier Conor Casey?

It is nice. I think we bring another feel to the team. We never give up and always want to win. If you always lose, you are quickly forgotten. Americans always want to win. That is also the problem with the national team. We play well and have improved immensely in the last ten years. But we aren’t world champions. And as long as we don’t win this title, soccer will never be one of the big sports in the USA.

Speaking of the national team, you weren’t called in recently?

Steve: That was agreed upon. We had already qualified for the next round and Bruce Arena wanted to try some new things, for example, to play with a back three. I respected this decision. But we are still in email contact and the US assistant coach watched our game in Hamburg.

Are your achievements noticed in the USA?

Steve: I have noticed that interest has increased especially when you shoot a goal in the Bundesliga. Afterwards there are plenty of interview requests.

The WC in Germany is your biggest goal?

Steve: Yes, two years ago in Japan in South Korea I injured myself shortly before the second game. But it was a wonderful experience just to be there. We got on a role and played well.

And exited the tourney against Germany…

Steve: And we want to play against Germany again. We were the better team and had huge chances. But Oliver Kahn was on form that day.

Christmas is right around the corner. How will you celebrate?

Steve: I will fly home and will be with my family. And I will go ride some waves with my brother. I can’t pass on that when I am home in California.

(HK)

Statistics of the game Hannover 96 vs. Hertha BSC Berlin:

Hannover 96 - Hertha BSC Berlin
19 :   8 shots at the goal
  6 :   5 corner kicks
15 :   7 crosses
11 : 17 fouls
  5 :   2 offsides
53% : 47% contacts with the ball
51% : 49% +challenges

Most shots at the goal:
96: Daniel Stendel (5) (2)
Berlin: Marcelinho (3)

Most setups:
96: Nebojsa Krupnikovic (6)
Berlin: Y. Bastürk, Marcelinho (2)

Most contacts with the ball:
96: Nebojsa Krupnikovic (88)
Berlin: A. Madlung (77)

Most won challenges:
96: Dariusz Zuraw (100%)
Berlin: A. Madlung (78%)

Source: IMP-Fussballdaten

Sunday Bundesliga games:

Gladbach - Leverkusen 1:1
Wolfsburg - Bielefeld 5:0

Hannover drops down to the 7th in the standings.

Hannover 96 midfielder Julian de Guzman talked with 96soccer.com about the game against Hertha BSC Berlin:

MP3-file: right-click for download here (206 kb).

MP3-file: right-click for download here (Julian speaks German).

Picture and MP3-Interview done by 96soccer.com moderator Bert Pickert

Hannover 96 defender Steven Cherundolo talked with 96soccer.com about the game against Hertha BSC Berlin:

MP3-file: right-click for download here (170 kb).

Check out Steve's website: http://www.cherundolo.de/


Picture and MP3-Interview done by 96soccer.com moderator Bert Pickert

Hannover 96 fell to Hertha BSC Berlin in matchday 17 after the guest went ahead with the 54th minute lead through Nando Rafael and seeing a disallowed goal from Per Mertesacker by the referee in injury time. Hannover drops down to the 7th in the table.

Hannover started with the same players who had such success against Hamburg on last's week Bundesliga game. Berlin's head coach Falko Götz had to deal with missing defender Josip Simunic due to suspension, Dick van Burik plaing instead. The former 96-players Fredi Bobic and Gerhard Tremmel were sitting on the bench.

The first half was dominated with a defensive effort on both sides, the best defence in the Bundesliga were meeting. After 5 minutes the first shot at the goal came by the US defender Steven Cherundolo from 35 meters which was cleared by Berlin's goalkeeper Christian Fiedler. Hannover's best scorer Daniel Stendel shot near the right post beeing nicely setup by Serbien playmaker Nebojsa Krupnikovic in the 20th. Stendel had his next opportunity nine minutes later when he shot near the right post again (setup by Thomas Christiansen in the 29th).

It took almost 36th minutes when Berlin endangerd Hanover's goal, as Brazilian Marcelinho could have scored with a header following a corner. Luckily for The Reds, Albanian midfielder Altin Lala cleared off the line.

4 minutes later after counter attacke on Berlin's side, Marcelinho missed the goal from 14 meters. The first half ended in a fair game with a goalless draw.

The first minutes of the second half began unspectacular until Berlin's Arne Friedrich moved upfront on the right flank who wasn't attacked by the Hannover defence. Friedrich lobbed nicely to Berlin's striker Nando Rafael who took the ball on his chest, turned around Hannover's Geman international defender Per Mertesacker and strucked home into the right corner (54th). A great goal by the African forward leaving goalkeeper Robert Enke no chance!

96 reacted with a tight 22-meter shot from Canadian Julian de Guzman missing the left post (56th). Berlin's goalkeeper Fiedler saved a shot by Stendel in the 61st over the bar nicely. 96-head coach Ewald Lienen brang in the strikers Stajner, Idrissou and Wallner in order to put more pressure in the offense. The Cameroon Mo' Idrissou passed in his first scene, setup by Jiri Stajner, to de Guzman who missed the goal again from 17 meters (70th). Altin Lala had the next chance 4 minutes later from 18 meters, missing the goal too.

In the 3rd minute of injury time after a corner-kick by Krupnikovic from the right 96 had the chance to tie the game deservedly. Idrissou headed the incoming ball into the goalmouth where Mertesacker scored into the net with his back head. But referee Trautmann decided that Berlin's goalkeeper Christian Fielder had been impeded. After watching this scene on TV the referee's decision was more than controversial.

The referee's whistle prevented a deserved draw for The Reds. But Hannover 96 is going into the winter break (6th in the table with 28 points) with a great first half season and will fight back in the second round. Go 96!

Hannover 96: Enke - Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Tarnat (77. Wallner) - Lala, de Guzman - Krupnikovic - Schröter (65. Stajner), Christiansen, Stendel (69. Idrissou)

Hertha BSC Berlin: Fiedler - A. Friedrich, Madlung, van Burik, Fathi - N. Kovac - Reina (42. Marx), Bastürk, Gilberto - Marcelinho (90. Wichniarek) - Rafael (80. Bobic)

Goals: 0:1 Rafael (54.) Cautions: Lala, Krupnikovic / Kovac
Referee: Stefan Trautmann (Florstadt)
Attendance: 43.096

Picture: Oliver Vosshage

96 head coach Ewald Lienen announces 18 man roster for the game against Hertha BSC Berlin:

Enke, Juric, Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Schneider, Tarnat, Lala, de Guzman, Dabrowski, But, Krupnikovic, Stajner, Stendel, Schröter, Christiansen, Wallner and Idrissou.

Hannover 96 defender Steven Cherundolo talked with 96soccer.com about the game against Hamburger SV and the game against Hertha BSC Berlin on Saturday:

Hamburg game, MP3-file: right-click for download here (412 kb).

Berlin game, MP3-file: right-click for download here (370 kb).

Check out Steve's website: http://www.cherundolo.de/


MP3-Interview done by 96soccer.com moderator Bert Pickert

Sunday Bundesliga games:

Kaiserslautern - Mainz 2:0
Dortmund - Schalke 0:1

Statistics of the game Hamburger SV vs. Hannover 96:

Hamburger SV - Hannover 96
19 :   7 shots at the goal
  7 :   2 corner kicks
12 :   8 crosses
12 : 24 fouls
  3 :   6 offsides
59% : 41% contacts with the ball
55% : 45% +challenges

Most shots at the goal:
96: Steven Cherundolo, Mo' Idrissou (2)
Hamburg: Van Buyten, Klingbeil, Beinlich, Takahara (3)

Most setups:
96: Nebojsa Krupnikovic (2)
Hamburg: S. Beinlich (4)

Most contacts with the ball:
96: Steven Cherundolo, Michael Tarnat (both 66)
Hamburg: S. Beinlich (118)

Most won challenges:
96: Per Mertesacker (80%)
Hamburg: R. Klingbeil (76%)

Source: IMP-Fussballdaten

Congratulations: Hannover 96 take home three points defeating Hamburg in a superior game. Golden boys Steven Cherundolo and Daniel Stendel secured a glorious victory for Ewald Lienen's squad with spectacular goals as Man of the Match Nebojsa Krupnikovic pushed guided the side with an impeccable performance in midfield, moving the side up to fourth in the table.

Despite his light injury, defender Michael Tarnat returned to the starting line-up for Hannover, replacing last week's surprise joker Christoph Dabrowski. Hamburg coach Thomas Doll had to do without Barbarez and Boulahrouz - both serving suspensions - replaced by Mpenza and Benjamin, respectively.

Hamburg's strong fore-checking in the first 19 minutes couldn't stop the Reds to score with their first chance.

After Tarnat chipped in a long ball from the left, van Buyten's short clearance header fell directly to Krupnicovic. The midfielder then saw teammate Steven Cherundolo completely unmarked on the right and sent in low cross out of midfield, where the American hammered on target from 11 yards towards the far post. The ball squeezed under Pieckenhagen's body and hit home hard under the crossbar sending the 5,000 traveling Hannover supporters in frenetic celebration.

Hamburg had no means to penetrate Hannover's defensive wall which was well-organized by the reliable Per Mertesacker. Klingbeil in the 35th and Beinlich three minutes later lacking precision while trying to fool keeper Robert Enke with shots from afar their first semi-chances of the afternoon.

But with one minute left to the first half Hamburg miserably failed a chance for an equalizer, when Takahara missed the near right post from two yards after Beinlich's misjudged header.

After the interval Hamburg laid all their eggs in one basket, putting immense pressure on Hannover's unfailing defense. Van Buyten was denied the equalizer from six yards by an unflappable Robert Enke.

But again it was Hannover's turn to send a shockwave through Hamburg's AOL-Arena.

Striker Thomas Christiansen sent captain Altin Lala whizzing along the right flank with a well-aimed pass who, upon entering the the box, whipped in a deadly cross which found striker Daniel Stendel who rocketed his volley left-footed into the net for the stunning goal.

Two minutes later Silvio Schröter could have closed the deal on Hamburg, but Pieckenhagen denied the 20 yards-effort which Stendel had set up from the left.

Desperation was settling on frustrated Hamburg who then were denied several chances, Mahdavikia's attempt from nine yards in the 71st or Rahn's shot only minutes later.

Lienen's substitutes Jiri Stajner and Mohamadou Idrissou then nearly made their coach look like a genius.

Their brilliant double-act with nine minutes left saw Stajner a back-heel to Idrissou just outside the box. The Cameroon international then sent a sledgehammer of a shot on target, only to find Pieckenhagen deflecting the ball in a last-second save off of the left post. Idrissou, who returned to the pitch after a long battle with injuries, had another great chance with a header which flew only inches over the crossbar in the last minute of the match.

Cherundolo's glorious goal paved the way for a Hannover 96 success, and with efficient and deliberate gameplay Hannover beat Hamburg in style. After a great and exciting match, Ewald Lienen's team moves up to become No 1 in the North with a well-conducted tactical performance.

Statistics

Hamburger SV: Pieckenhagen - Benjamin, Schlicke, van Buyten, Klingbeil - Wicky - Jarolim, Beinlich - Moreira - Mpenza, Takahara

Hannover 96: Enke - Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Tarnat - Lala, de Guzman - Krupnikovic- Schroeter, Christiansen, Stendel

Substitutions
Hamburg: Romeo 62 (Takahara), Mahdavikia 62 (Moreira), Rahn 71 (Klingbeil)
Hannover: Stajner 64 (Christiansen), Idrissou 79 (Schroeter), Dabrowski 86 (Krupnikovic)


Goals: 0:1 Cherundolo (19), 0:2 Stendel (59)

Cautions: Wicky, Schlicke / Enke
Referee: Thorsten Kinhoefer

Attendance: 50,454

Picture: Stefan Zwing

96 head coach Ewald Lienen announces 19 man roster for the game against Hamburger SV:

Enke, Juric, Cherundolo, Mertesacker, Zuraw, Schneider, Tarnat, Stefulj, Lala, de Guzman, Dabrowski, But, Krupnikovic, Stajner, Stendel, Schröter, Christiansen, Leandro and Idrissou.