Soccer: Joy and agony as German league ends

FRANKFURT - Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen clinched the two remaining Champions League places on the final day of the Bundesliga season yesterday as Bayern Munich's ninth successive victory pushed VfB Stuttgart down to fifth.

Schalke secured the runners-up spot, 14 points behind Bayern, with a 3-2 win away to bottom club Freiburg.

Stuttgart needed a home win over Bayern to be sure of keeping hold of third place but they were overpowered by the champions, who closed out the season with a 3-1.

Stuttgart's defeat opened the door for Werder Bremen to climb up to third with a 2-1 win over Kaiserslautern.

Hertha Berlin would have beaten them to the all-important third place with a win over Hanover 96 but were held to an agonising goalless draw.

Schalke, who finished with 63 points, gain direct entry to the Champions League, while Bremen, in third with 59, go into the final qualifying round.

Hertha finished fourth on 58, ahead of Stuttgart on goal difference, while Bayer Leverkusen took the third and final Uefa Cup qualification place with a 5-1 win at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

- REUTERS