Football
Reuters 18y

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Kahn rescues point for Bayern at Hertha

(Adds details, quotes)

By Kevin Fylan

FRANKFURT, Feb 7 - Hertha Berlin held visiting
Bayern Munich to a goalless draw in the Bundesliga on Tuesday,
offering a glimmer of hope to the chasing sides in Germany.

Hertha had by far the better chances in the second half at
the Olympic Stadium and only a series of fine saves from Oliver
Kahn kept the champions in the game.

Bayern, who have a record 51 points from 20 matches, remain
well placed to win their 20th German title but their lead will
be cut to six points if second-placed Werder Bremen win at VfB
Stuttgart on Wednesday.

Hamburg SV, in third place with 41 points, can also close
the gap behind the champions with a victory at Hanover 96 in
another of Wednesday's matches.

Bayern had most of the possession in the first half but
created only a couple of good chances and in the end were lucky
not to go down to a second league defeat of the season.

Martin Demichelis saw a point-blank header smartly saved by
Hertha's Gerhard Tremmel after a Sebastian Deisler free kick had
picked him out in the 14th minute.

Michael Ballack then improvised a shot just outside the box
and saw the ball land on the roof of the net.

Hertha became more adventurous in attack in the second half
and were encouraged further when Marcelinho broke into the box
and forced Kahn to come and save at his feet.

Germany's number one keeper made an even better save in the
61st minute, pushing the ball round the past after Arne
Friedrich had turned past a couple of defenders and sent in a
stinging shot.

"Olli is Olli and he was world class again," said Bayern
manager Uli Hoeness.

"We didn't take our chances in the first half or at the end
but Hertha had a lot of good opportunities as well and I think a
draw was the right result."

Hertha's third draw from three matches in 2006 kept them in
fifth place with 29 points.

Borussia Dortmund moved to within a point of the club from
the capital after winning 2-0 at home to MSV Duisburg.

Kaiserslautern and Cologne drew 2-2 in a battle between the
two bottom clubs in the Bundesliga.

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