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Bayern Keeps Its Bundesliga Title

FC Bayern Munchen completed a famous "double double" and kept their Bundesliga title. Hamurger SV`s slip during their last game made Bayern`s draw a 1-1 against FC Kaiserlautern enough and gave Bayern the win. Having regained the German Cup with a narrow win against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern went into their match against relegation-threatened Kaiserslautern knowing that a win would guarantee the championship also remained in Munich. However, they started badly, and Hamit Altintop handed the home team a shock lead just before the half-hour mark.

Andreas Ottl equalized midway through the second half and although a winner proved elusive, the Bayern players nonetheless began familiar celebrations on the final whistle after Hamburg lost 4-2 at Hertha BSC Berlin. At half-time it looked very different, with Felix Magath`s team trailing and second-placed Hamburg looking set to cut their lead to two points after going 2-1 up courtesy of early goals from Piotr Trochowski and Benjamin Lauth, either side of Andreas Neuendorf?s 14th-minute equalizer. Neuendorf?s dismissal on the hour gave more reason for hope but instead Hamburg imploded as goals from Alexander Madlung, Niko Kova? and Marko Panteli? saw Hertha storm back. Thomas Doll`s side will now face Werder Bremen next weekend in a showdown that will decided who finishes second in Germany.

There will be another decisive game at the other end of the table too as Kaiserslautern and VfL Wolsburg go head-to-head to see who joins K?ln and MSV Duisburg, who earned a rare triumph at DSC Arminia Bielefeld, in 2 Bundesliga next season. Kaiserslautern currently occupy 16th, but their draw against Bayern has left them within touching distance of Wolfsburg after they lost 2-1 to VfB Stuttgart. Eintracht Frankfurt avoided final-day drama with a 1-1 draw at BV Borussia Dortmund although there was some disappointment as Salvatore Gambino`s 87th-minute goal denied them a win.