BERLIN — Hamburg avoided a first relegation from Germany's top flight with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win at Karlsruhe in Monday's relegation playoff, second-leg, to seal a 3-2 aggregate win. Replacement Nicolai Mueller scored Hamburg's winner in the 115th minute, but Germany goalkeeper Rene Adler was Hamburg's hero by saving a penalty by Karlsruhe's Rouwen Hennings in the 123rd minute. Adler's save means Hamburg won the relegation playoff for the second year running and sealed the come-back win. It also meant Hamburg retained its status as the only team never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga. After a 1-1 draw in last Thursday's first-leg in Hamburg, Karlsruhe had taken the lead at its sold-out Wildpark stadium when replacement Reinhold Yabo scored a 78th-minute goal. But Hamburg fought back and with time running out Chile international Marcelo Diaz claimed a dramatic equalizer in the 91st-minute to force extra-time. Mueller came off the bench to break Karlsruhe hearts when he tapped home Brazilian defender Cleber's final pass for the winner which left Karlsruhe needing to score twice because of the away goals. There was still time for more drama when referee Manuel Graefe pointed to the spot for a dubious penalty after judging Hamburg defender Johan Djourou had touched the ball. But Hennings, the second-division's top-scorer, was left with his head in his hands as Adler pushed his spot-kick onto the post. It denied Karlsruhe a return to the Bundesliga for the first time since their relegation in 2009 and they miss out on a spot in Germany's top flight alongside second division champions Ingolstadt and runners-up Darmstadt, who were both promoted. Chelsea downs Sydney FC Chelsea brought down the curtain on its fifth English championship-winning season with a 1-0 friendly victory over Sydney FC in front of 83,598 fans at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney Tuesday. France striker Loic Remy scored the winner with a thunderbolt of a strike after 30 minutes and a typically solid defensive performance from Jose Mourinho's side sealed a triumphant end to its long campaign. Sydney, runner-up in the A-League final last month, ensured it was not entirely an exhibition match but Petr Cech, in Chelsea's goal for perhaps the last time, and his back four were in defiant mood. Mourinho promised to put out a strong side and he was true to his word with the attacking trio of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Remy causing problems for the home defense from the start with their skill and pace. Remy spurned the first couple of chances his teammates carved out for him but made no mistake on the half hour, cutting inside from the right wing on to his left foot and lashing the ball into the top corner of the net. Sydney thought it had equalized a minute from time when defender Seb Ryall bundled the ball over the line from close range but the referee ruled he had handled. — Agencies
