Bayern seal German title in dramatic finale

(Adds quotes from Schalke coach, paras 13-14)
By Patrick Vignal
BERLIN, May 19 (Reuters)(DS) - A goal deep into stoppage time by
Patrik Andersson gave Bayern Munich a 1-1 draw at Hamburg SV on
Saturday that clinched their third successive German title.
Swedish defender Andersson scored with a free kick from
inside the penalty area to enable Bayern to finish a point ahead
of Schalke 04, who fought back from two goals down to beat SpVgg
Unterhaching 5-3.
Schalke were on course for their first title in 43 years
after Bosnian Sergej Barbarez had given Hamburg a 1-0 lead over
Bayern with a header in the last minute.
But Bayern, who were second on goal difference at that
stage, equalised in the fourth minute of added time for their
17th league crown and a welcome morale boost four days before
the Champions League final.
The Munich club will face Valencia on Wednesday in Milan in
their bid to lift European club soccer's most coveted trophy for
the first time in 25 years.
Their third run of three domestic titles, after 1972 to 1974
and 1985 to 1987, kept Bayern in contention for a rare double.
Only once before, in 1974, have they won the German title
and the European Cup in the same year.
There was plenty of action in Gelsenkirchen, where an early
goal from Andre Breitenreiter followed by a effort from fellow
striker Miroslaw Spizak gave Unterhaching a shock 2-0 lead after
27 minutes.

SCHALKE FIGHT BACK
Schalke, cheered on by 65,000 fans in their packed
Parkstadion, where they were playing for the last time before
moving to a new stadium, fought back with goals from Dutch
midfielder Nico van Kerckhoven and striker Gerald Asamoah to
make it 2-2 at halftime.
Defender Jan Seifert then put Unterhaching in front again
with a header in the 70th minute but Schalke responded with two
goals in quick succession from midfielder Joerg Boehme before
Dane Ebbe Sand wrapped up the victory wich condemned
Unterhaching to the second division.
The news that Hamburg had scored then reached Gelsenkirchen
and for a few minutes the Schalke supporters, among the most
loyal in German football, thought their team had won the title.
Andersson's goal, though, left many of them in tears.
"Congratulations to Bayern," Schalke coach Huub Stevens
said. "Naturally there was some luck involved but that's
football.
"It really hurts me for the boys. They came so close.
Football can be so cruel," he added.
"It's unbelievable," said Bayern captain Stefan Effenberg.
"I took a look at the time (after Barbarez scored) and thought
we had time for one more attack.
"Then we got the free kick. I called for Patrik because he's
good at free kicks and he knocked it in."
Schalke, who won the last of their seven titles in 1958,
will have to be content with direct qualification for the
Champions League after a remarkable season.

SECOND TIME
Borussia Dortmund, who were held to a 3-3 draw by Cologne
but finished third, and Bayer Leverkusen, fourth after a 1-0
victory over bottom club VfL Bochum, will enter the qualifying
round of Europe's showcase club competition.
Hertha Berlin and SC Freiburg, fifth and sixth respectively
in the final standings, will enter the UEFA Cup.
It was the second time in as many seasons that Bayern had
clinched the Bundesliga title in nail-biting fashion.
Last year Leverkusen entered the final round of matches
three points ahead of the Bavarians but lost to Unterhaching
while Bayern beat Werder Bremen to win the title on goal
difference.
Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he had feared another
traumatic experience after his team conceded two goals in injury
time to lose 2-1 to Manchester United in the 1999 Champions
League final.
"It would have been irritating to lose the championship in
the 90th minute," he said.
"It could have been a trauma all over again to lose a
decisive game in the final minute. The disappointment would have
been inhumane. There would have been comparisons in the media to
Barcelona.
But that did not happen and Bayern will now head for Milan
full of confidence.


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