Football
Reuters 17y

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Werder beat Hertha to stay in German title race

(Adds details, quotes)

By Kevin Fylan

BERLIN, May 6 - Markus Rosenberg scored a
hat-trick to give Werder Bremen a 4-1 win at Hertha Berlin on
Sunday, keeping the Bundesliga's three-way title race finely
poised with two games left to play.

Swedish forward Rosenberg grabbed the first two and Diego
added the third before Hertha, who were reduced to 10 men in the
36th minute when Josip Simunic was sent off, got one back
through Gilberto just past the hour mark.

Rosenberg, a four million euro ($5.44 million) signing from
Ajax Amsterdam in January, completed his hat-trick eight minutes
from time.

With 32 games gone, Schalke 04 lead the standings on 65
points after a 1-0 win at home to Nuremberg on Saturday. VfB
Stuttgart are second, a point behind them, following their 2-0
success at home to Mainz.

Werder's victory on Sunday keeps them in third on 63 points.

Bayer Leverkusen's chances of making the UEFA Cup next
season took a knock when they lost 2-1 at home to Arminia
Bielefeld in Sunday's other game. Leverkusen are sixth on 45
points, behind Nuremberg in the final automatic qualifying slot
for Europe.

CUP DEFEAT

Werder were quick to put behind them their UEFA Cup
semi-final defeat by Espanyol in midweek.

Pierre Wome forced a good save from Christian Fiedler with a
long-range free kick and with 19 minutes gone Rosenberg gave the
visitors the lead, taking a through ball from Patrick Owomoyela
and rattling in from outside the box.

Hertha were in deeper trouble when Simunic caught Christian
Schulz in the head as he raised his foot for a clearance and was
red-carded by the referee.

The second half was a stroll for Werder. Rosenberg made it
2-0 when Frank Baumann teed him up for an easy finish and Werder
scored the pick of the goals with an hour played.

Torsten Frings swept over a pass, Miroslav Klose chested the
ball into the path of Diego and the Brazilian controlled it with
his body before smashing it in.

Gilberto played a one-two with Ashkan Dejagah and beat Tim
Wiese from the edge of the area to give Hertha a glimmer of hope
but Rosenberg ensured there would be no miracle comeback when he
struck his third late in the game.

"We're delighted with that," said Frings. "We controlled the
game from the start, so hats off to the team."

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