No change in 2008: Bayer 04’s poor results away to Arminia Bielefeld continues. Despite controlling large parts of the game the Werkself lose 2-1 to Bielefeld and TSG Hoffenheim take over top spot in the Bundesliga.

Bruno Labbadia was forded to change his starting eleven as Gonzalo Castro missed today’s game through suspension. Hans Sarpei, the only player over 30 in the Leverkusen side, replaced Castro at the right of the back four.

The prevailing weather conditions indicated that the game was unlikely to be a classic encounter. Snow in Bielefeld made the pitch greasy and uneven and made it difficult to play football. But both sides got forward early on in the game.

Thorben Marx fired the first effort from distance but René Adler saved easily on six minutes. As the game progressed Bayer were, as expected, the stronger side technically but the Werkself failed to press home their advantage.

Helmes unlucky

Patrick Helmes missed putting Bayer one up by inches: Stefan Kießling beat Markus Schuler in the build up but Arminia Bielefeld keeper Daniel Eilhoff turned the ball away for a corner with his toes after 17 minutes. Just after the half hour mark Kießling hesitated in the opposing box and missed his chance while Adler punched away a sharp Jonas Kamper effort in the ensuing counter attack.

Bayer had another goalscoring opportunity just before the break. Augusto’s clipped shot to the near post was turned away by Eilhoff and Simon Rolfes just missed out on the far post.

Bielefeld brought on Daniel Halfar in place of Christopher Katongo at the restart and were more aggressive in the second half. Halfar exploited an error by Augusto going forward and his swift pass found Artur Wichniarek who hit an unstoppable , shot from the right of the target that went in off the inside of the post to put Arminia 1-0 up after 53 minutes.

Halfar makes it 2-0

Bielefeld now fought tooth and nail for every ball. Rolfes had a chance to head home the equaliser from a corner 14 minutes into the second half. But the next goal was cored at the Bayer end. The Werkself were unable to clear a Kamper corner and Halfar was on hand to score Arminia’s second from ten yards out on 69 minutes.

That was not the end of the scoring. Helmes made the most of a chance from a great assist by Augusto from the left of the penalty box with 12 minutes left on the clock. Labbadia had already brought on Sascha Dum and Theofanis Gekas and Bayer pressed forward in search of an equaliser.

Dum sees red

Eilhoff made an incredible one-handed save from a Helmes free kick from 20 yards out with five minutes to go. A minute earlier Adler prevented Wichniarek from sealing the game. Referee Marc Seemann’s decision to punish a Dum foul on Rüdiger Kauf with a red card was very harsh. Bayer were unable to level the scores even with three minutes added time.

Bayer 04 face a tough task in their next home game. Next Saturday sees Bayern Munich visit the BayArena.

Arminia Bielefeld: Eilhoff - Lamey, N. Herzig, Kucera, Schuler - Kauf, T. Marx - Kirch, C. Katongo, Kamper - Wichniarek

Bayer 04: Adler - Sarpei,Friedrich, Henrique, Kadlec - Rolfes - Renato Augusto, Vidal, Barnetta - Kießling, Helmes

Goals: 1:0 Wichniarek (53.), 2:0 Halfar (69.), 2:1 Helmes (78.)

Substitutions: Halfar for C. Katongo (46), Dum for Sarpei (67), Gekas for Vidal (72), Mijatovic for Kamper (81), Aigner for Wichniarek (90 + 1)

Booked: Kauf, Eilhoff - Rolfes

Sent off: Dum (88)

Attendance: 18,000

Referee: Marc Seemann (Essen)