German Bundesliga

Stuttgart 2-0 Schalke- Win on German debut for Markus Babbel

Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel enjoyed a winning start to his Bundesliga managerial career as VFB Stuttgart beat Schalke 04 2-0 at home on Sunday. This was Babbel’s second game in charge of Stuttgart, having earlier overseen the midweek draw against Sampdoria in the UEFA Cup. Substitute Jan Simak and striker Mario Gomez scored in the 79th and 83rd minutes respectively to give Stuttgart their first win in six games.

Mario Gomez scored on Babbel's Bundesliga managerial debut
Mario Gomez scored on Babbel's Bundesliga managerial debut

Stuttgart keeper Jens Lehmann also saved a 16th minute penalty from Jefferson Farfan which was awarded after Artur Boka had brought Kevin Kuranyi down. Farfan had also been guilty of squandering a chance three minutes later, with his weak shot being cleared off the line after Jermaine Jones had hit the post.

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Markus Babbel succeeds Armin Veh as Stuttgart manager

German side VFB Stuttgart have appointed former Bayern Munich and Liverpool defender Markus Babbel as their new manager after parting ways with Armin Veh. Veh and his assistant Alfons Higl were shown the door after Stuttgart were soundly beaten 4-1 by Felix Magaath’s Wolfsburg on Saturday. Stuttgart lie in the bottom half of the Bundesliga table, and are currently thirteen points behind league leaders TSG Hoffenheim.

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Schalke 3-1 Borussia Monchengladbach

Two first half goals from Halil Altintop allowed Schalke to beat neighbours Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 at the Veltins Arena on Saturday. The win ends Schalke’s two game losing streak and comes at an important time, just before their European clash against Manchester City on Thursday.

Altintop opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute, sending a right footed shot into the bottom left corner of Gladbach keeper Uwe Gospodarek. Five minutes later, Tobias Levels fouled Jefferson Farfan in the box, and the Peruvian international duly converted the resulting penalty to put the Royal Blues 2-0 ahead. Rob Friend reduced the margin for Gladbach on 30 minutes, but Altintop added one more on the stroke of half time to put Schalke into a comfortable 3-1 lead.

Gladbach had drawn with Bayern Munich last week.

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