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Hildenbrand sets Bundesliga record
STUTTGART, Germany -- VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand set a new Bundesliga record as they stayed top from champions Bayern Munich who thrashed Hertha Berlin 4-1. Hildebrand has not conceded a goal in 825 minutes, surpassing Oliver Kahn's previous record of 803 minutes, but his side were held to a disappointing goalless draw by bottom club Cologne. Kahn's Munich club are just a point behind after first-half goals from Dutch striker Roy Makaay and playmaker Michael Ballack set up their win. Two more followed after the break from midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Hasan Salihamidzic. Hertha, still chasing their first victory of the season, were 3-0 down when midfielder Niko Kovac pulled one goal back, but the capital club drop to third from bottom in the standings. "We were very efficient and I'm pleased with that," said Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. "We're not where we want to be yet but we're in the right direction." Hitzfeld paid tribute to Ballack, who insisted on playing despite a sore ankle. "The fact that he was in pain and still wanted to play speaks for his character and proves he's a true leader," Hitzfeld said. Stuttgart can lose first place on Sunday when Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, both two points behind on 16 points, host VfL Wolfsburg and Hansa Rostock, respectively. Against Cologne they showed little of the form that gave them a 2-1 Champions League triumph over Manchester United in midweek. After an eventless first half Kevin Kuranyi should have put the hosts ahead in the 58th minute, but the Germany striker fired high from short range. Hildebrand needed a excellent save against Dirk Lottner's curling freekick in the 62nd to keep his own and the team's clean sheet before Christian Tiffert wasted a final chance for Stuttgart in stoppage time. In other action, Schalke won 2-1 at Hanover, who had Julian de Guzman and Thomas Brdaric sent off. The hosts led from Thomas Christiansen, but Gerald Asamoah and Dario Rodriguez gave Schalke a badly-needed win. The 2002 champions Borussia Dortmund won for the first time away from home in 10 months, 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt from Giuseppe Reina's low shot in the 10th minute. VfL Bochum hammered Kaiserslautern 4-0 after the visitors had Marian Hristov dismissed in the 30th for a second bookable offence. SC Freiburg defeated 1860 Munich 1-0 while Sergei Barbarez's second-half double gave SV Hamburg a 2-1 comeback victory against Borussia Moenchengladbach. The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.
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