Olic wonder strike hands Hamburg victory

A second-half wonder goal by Hamburg’s Croatia striker Ivica Olic sealed a 2-1 win over Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Olic’s goal – his fifth of the season – on 74 minutes from outside the penalty area was superb as he drove his shot into the top left-hand corner giving Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese no chance.

“It was great to see the goal go in, but it was more important for us to pick up the three points,” said Olic.

“I knew it was going on as soon as it left my boot, it was a nice feeling.”

Bremen have now won just two of their last seven league games and the defeat is hardly ideal preparation for Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Anorthosis Famagusta – a game Bremen must win if they are to progress.

Hamburg took the lead on Sunday when Peru striker Jose Paolo Guerrero fired home after Wiese parried a shot from Croatia striker Mladen Petric, but the south American smashed home the rebound on six minutes.

Diego scored his seventh goal in ten games when he curled his shot around the Hamburg defence and although home goalkeeper Frank Rost got a glove to the shot, Werder equalised on 24 minutes.

The result leaves erratic Hamburg – they have both won and lost three of their last six league games – fifth in the league while Bremen are ninth.

On Saturday, another five-star performance from France midfielder Franck Ribery helped third-placed Bayern Munich to a 4-1 win over Energie Cottbus on to keep the pressure on leaders Hoffenheim.

The league leaders are now three points clear of rivals Bayer Leverkusen after their 3-1 win at Cologne after Leverkusen slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Arminia Bielefeld.

And Hertha Berlin kept up their pressure on the league leaders with an impressive 3-2 win at snowy Bochum to go fourth in the table.

Schalke 04 moved up to seventh thanks to their 3-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.

There was a rough afternoon for ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann as he leaked four goals in Wolfsburg’s 4-1 win over Stuttgart, which saw coach Armin Veh sacked on Sunday.

Eintracht Frankfurt did their flagging league position the power of good with a rampant 4-0 win over Hanover.

On Friday, Borussia Dortmund went sixth in the table after their 1-0 win over Karlsruhe.