Real Madrid win courtesy of reserve strikers

GOALS from second-string strikers Fernando Morientes and Javier Portillo earned Real Madrid a 2-1 victory over the Thai national team yesterday in the Spanish champions’ last match of their Asian tour.

With Ronaldo and Luis Figo rested and striker Raul only on for a short second-half appearance, Zinedine

Zidane and new signing David Beckham were at the heart of Real's best moves.

Portillo slotted the opener after 29 minutes after a winding run by Morientes.

Thailand then scored against the run of play in the 62nd minute when Sutee Suksomkit side-footed into the corner of the Madrid goal as visiting defenders stood and watched.

But Morientes restored Real's lead in the 68th minute, walking the ball into the net after a Zidane shot was blocked.

Meanwhile Bayer Leverkusen replaced Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga with a hard-fought 2-1 win over newcomers Eintracht Frankfurt at the Waldstadion yesterday.

Klaus Augenthaler's 100% record at Bayer the former Nuremberg coach had won all his three matches in charge of Bayer continued although his team needed an own goal from

Albanian Gerl Cipi late on to snatch all three points.

Nico Frommer's first Bundesliga goal on 42 minutes put Frankfurt ahead, with the 25-year-old leaving World Cup winner Lucio trailing in his wake.

However, German international Bernd Schneider marked his return from suspension with a goal on 51 minutes to level for Bayer.

Cipi decided the match sliding a cross from the left into his own net on 84 minutes to hand Bayer victory. VfB Stuttgart missed the chance to claim top spot in a heated 0-0 draw against Hertha Berlin in front of 35,000 fans at the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium.

England midfielder Owen Hargreaves saved Bayern Munich from an embarrassing defeat with a superb last-gasp free kick for a 3-3 draw at Hanover 96 on Saturday. He struck one minute into added time.

Borussia Dortmund, who lost their title to Bayern last season, finishing third, moved to the top of the standings with a spectacular 4-0 win over VfL Wolfsburg.

Dortmund were one of six teams with four points from two games, with Hanover and Bayern also in that group.

Bayern, who opened the defence of the title with a 3-1 win over promoted Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, fought bravely to make up for a clumsy defensive display in the first half.

"It was an exciting game with some quality football despite tough conditions", said Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, referring to the heatwave sweeping most of Europe.

Hanover, who opened with a surprise 3-0 win at Hamburg SV, built a 3-1 lead at the interval courtesy of midfielder Nebojsa Krupnikovc and strikers Jiri Stajner and Thomas Christiansen.

Playmaker Michael Ballack scored before the break for Bayern, who stepped up a gear in the second half.

Peru striker Claudio Pizarro then reduced the gap on 49 minutes and hit the back of the net again in the 68th but it was disallowed for an offside that looked dubious on television replays.

The home side were reduced to 10 men when striker Idrissou was sent off in the 84th minute for elbowing Bayern defender Linke before Hargreaves grabbed a point with just his second goal in 70 Bundesliga games.

Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky was instrumental in Dortmund's win over Wolfsburg with a goal in each half and fine playmaking. Brazilian forward Marcio Amoroso and Czech striker Jan Koller also scored before 72,000 delighted fans.