Bundesliga wrap: Hamburg strengthen bid for Europe

Hamburg have moved into the Europa League qualification positions in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 victory over Stuttgart.

Latvian striker Artoms Rudnevs scored a brilliant volley just after half-time to earn Hamburg the three points as they rose from ninth to sixth position in the Bundesliga, which would earn the north German club Europa League football next season.

The victory takes Hamburg’s season tally to 38 points, one ahead of seventh-placed Mainz, while Eintracht Frankfurt, who sit fifth, have 39 after a 0-0 draw away to Hannover on Sunday.

In Stuttgart, Hamburg picked up their third win in five matches but only their fourth away from home for the season.

Hamburg notched the only goal of the game in the 50th minute when sharp passing found Dennis Diekmeier free on the right wing and the full-back crossed to the top of the box, where Rudnevs thumped a right-foot volley past Stuttgart goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.

The result leaves Stuttgart in 14th position on the Bundesliga table on 29 points, eight clear of the promotion-relegation playoff position.

In Sunday’s other game, Eintracht Frankfurt’s poor run continued as they extended their winless streak to five games.

Eintracht edged the possession statistics in Hannover and had 10 shots to seven with the home team’s Ron-Robert Zieler making six saves to keep the visitors scoreless.