Bayern go top but miss out on perfect 10

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BERLIN, Feb 20, 2010 (AFP) - Bayern Munich went top of the Bundesliga table on Saturday after a 1-1 draw away at lowly Nuremberg but failed to extend their winning streak to what would have been a record-equalling 10 league victories.

Meanwhile, Stuttgart warmed up for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg against Barcelona with an impressive 5-1 drubbing of Cologne, with German striker Cacau burnishing his World Cup credentials with four goals.

A visibly furious Bayern coach Louis van Gaal defended his team saying: "We created several chances but we didn't hit the target."

He attacked an interviewer who suggested his team were lacking in passion, saying: "I cannot believe you can say that", adding that the interviewer had seen the match "completely wrong."

Midfielder Marco van Bommel was more philosophical, saying: "Obviously you can't win every game in the Bundesliga."

"We can't say that we were careless today. We deserved more and we didn't play all that badly," added van Bommel.

Thomas Mueller, 20, replacing French international star Franck Ribery, who was absent with a foot injury, gave the German giants the lead, slotting home a cross from striker Mario Gomez into the top right corner after 38 minutes.

But local rivals Nuremberg equalised on 54 minutes as striker Ilkay Gundogan took advantage of confusion in Bayern's defence to tap the ball home from short range.

And despite throwing on German striker Miroslav Klose in the second half, the 21-times Bundesliga champions were unable to deliver the telling blow, bringing to an end a run of 13 consecutive wins in all competitions.

The result means Bayern go one point clear at the top of the table, but Bayer Leverkusen could overhaul them when they face sixth-placed Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Despite the unexpected point, the draw leaves newly-promoted Nuremberg in a precarious position, second from bottom with only 17 points from 23 games.

They will be hoping that bottom side Hertha Berlin fail to beat 15th-placed Freiburg on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Stuttgart and striker Cacau were irresistible in Cologne, in a performance that will set alarm bells ringing in the Nou Camp, as Barcelona prepare to travel to Germany in midweek.

Cacau stabbed home a cross from Italian defender Cristian Molinaro on 13 minutes, before curling a superb long-distance effort into the top right corner after 31 minutes.

Another toe-poke in a goalmouth scramble on 38 minutes completed the Stuttgart man's hat-trick and he made it four on 74 minutes, a performance that will not have gone unnoticed by German coach Joachim Loew.

Russian attacker Pavel Pogrebnyak completed the misery for the hosts, who are too close to relegation for comfort, in 14th place.

Fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund also bolstered their chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League with a 4-1 win at home to Hanover, who remain in relegation danger.

Hamburg, in fourth, who were missing new signing Ruud van Nistelrooy with a thigh strain, failed to pressure the leaders with a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Frankfurt.

Mainz and Bochum also played out a 0-0 draw.

In Friday's match, a last-minute penalty from Brazilian midfielder Eduardo snatched a point in the mid-table clash at home to Borussia Monchengladbach.

Third-placed Schalke travel to last year's Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg on Sunday, hoping to keep up the pressure on the top two.