2/12/2006
hannover96.de

"Bulgarian Bomber" batters befuddled Frankfurt with 25-metre blast in 1-0 away victory A dreadful game, but an important away victory for the Reds! Bulgarian international Chavdar Yankov secures the 1-0 (0-0) victory against league-climber Frankfurt. Hannover remain unbeaten for 10 consecutive fixtures and thus equal their record of 40 years ago, climbing to position 6 in the table.

Full-backs Vinicius and Dariusz Zuraw were able to join the starting line-up despite their slight injuries. Right wing-back Steven Cherundolo returned to the pitch fully recovered from concussion, so Danish transfer Jonas Troest dropped to the bench. Head coach Peter Neururer left striker Thomas Brdaric sidelined in his 4-4-2 system. Host coach Friedhelm Funkel was glad to include Brazilian Chris after having served fifth-yellow suspension for suspended Patrick Ochs. Benjamin Koehler was relegated to the bench, and forward Du-Ri Cha joined the defence line.

Hannover start with a promising opportunity through Christoph Dabrowski in the very first minute of the match. But the hosts gain self-confidence by the minute and dominate play. Fortunately for the Reds, Frankfurt cannot capitalise from numerous opportunities. Spanish striker Francisco Copado fritters the ball away with his heel after being served with Christopher Reinhard's cross from the left. Hannover's keeper Robert Enke easily defuses the half-baked attempt from six metres (14min). Frankfurt has most of the possession, but play suffers from flawed passing on both sides. Only individual mistakes provide for the first half's few opportunities. Polish defender Dariusz Zuraw snatches the ball from Ioannis Amanatidis' foot in a last-second manoeuvre (29min) – disappointing Ricardo Sousa causing Frankfurt's attack in the first place with bungled passing. Hannover almost hit home when Hanno Balitsch intercepts the ball and sets up Vahid Hashemian, but the Iranian international is tackled successfully by Macedonian Aleksandar Vasoski (36min, photo). Copado fails again miserably from seven metres not converting Cha's pass, kicking over the ball (42min), with a duplicate blunder just before the half-time whistle, this time involving Amanatidis. The Reds escape into the break with a flattering goalless draw.

Half Time: 0-0

Peter Neururer swaps ineffective Sousa for Thomas Brdaric during the interval. Play remains viscous in the second half, and inaccurate passing spoils the fun for a mere 26,000 punters in Frankfurt's half-empty Commerzbank-Arena. Copado's precise free kick from the right corner of the area forces Robert Enke to give all that he has got to scrape the ball out of the bottom right of his goal (54min). Once again it is Copado to mess up one of the home side's chances from Meier's precise pass (62min). Out of the blue Hannover create an opportunity when Jiri Stajner aims his free kick for unmarked Dabrowski. The tall midfielder helps the ball on from six metres with the back of his head, only missing the net by inches (69min). The match gains momentum, Hannover starting to push Frankfurt back over the centre line. But they fail to gain superiority, and German-born Jermaine Jones almost makes a killing from Koehler's corner, but his hammer shot goes wide of the right post (76min). No one seems to believe what happens two minutes later: Hannover substitute Michael Delura passes to Chavdar Yankov. The Bulgarian international stops the ball with cold-blooded calm, takes aim and fires from 25 metres at target, where his cannonball shot impacts in the top-right triangle a split-second later. Frankfurt's keeper Oka Nikolov is left without any defence (76min) from this Bulgarian blast.

Frankfurt's "Eagles" are obviously unhappy with the result and start attacking viciously. But the Reds relieve any dangerous situation securely. Thomas Brdaric has the chance to put the visitors even further ahead, but sends his attempt from half-right position over the crossbar (89min). And little later it is all over.

Hannover gain three important points from league-climber Frankfurt's defeat and end the three-fixture week with a total of seven points. Ten times straight, the Reds remain unbeaten with their head coach Peter Neururer. The Reds have the chance to break their own record of 40 years back in their next home match, playing top-of-the-table Bayern Munich next Saturday. Frankfurt suffer their first home defeat in six home matches.

Eintracht Frankfurt: Nikolov – D.-R. Cha, Rehmer, Vasoski, Reinhard – Jones – Preuß, Chris – A. Meier – Copado, Amanatidis – Coach: Funkel

Hannover 96: Enke – Cherundolo, Vinicius, Zuraw, Tarnat – Yankov, Dabrowski, Balitsch – Ricardo Sousa – Stajner, Hashemian – Coach: Neururer

Goals: 0:1 Yankov (78th, Right shot, assist by Delura)

Substitutions:
70. Koehler for Copado
81. Weissenberger for D.-R. Cha
84. Stroh-Engel for A. Meier
—
46. Brdaric for Ricardo Sousa
75. Delura for Hashemian
83. Troest for Stajner

Referee: Schmidt
Attendance: 26,000
Bookings: Rehmer, Jones – Vinicius, Yankov