Struggling Hanover beat Cologne thanks to keeper Zieler

BERLIN (Reuters) – Hanover 96 moved out of the relegation zone for the first time this season after narrowly beating Cologne 1-0 on Sunday but they had goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler to thank for their second consecutive victory.

Leon Andreasen scored against the run of play, slotting in from close range after a corner in the 38th minute with Cologne players protesting for a handball.

Germany international Zieler, battling to keep his spot in the national team amid growing competition, then came to the rescue on half a dozen occasions to deny Cologne an equaliser.

He left his best saves for last, twice denying Anthony Modeste in the final minutes when he first palmed the Frenchman’s header over the bar and then stopped a low drive with the last kick of the game.

Hanover, who had lost five of their opening seven matches with coach Michael Frontzeck under mounting pressure, moved out of the bottom spots with their first away win of the campaign and into 14th on eight points.

VfB Suttgart, who are in last place on four, take on Ingolstadt later on Sunday in the only other game of the day.

Bayern Munich remained seven points clear at the top after their 1-0 victory at Werder Bremen on Saturday to set a Bundesliga record for the best start with their ninth consecutive victory.

Borussia Dortmund scored their first win in four matches when they beat Mainz 05 2-0 on Friday to stay in second place on 21 points.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Alan Baldwin)