LEVERKUSEN, Germany -- Bayer Leverkusen fired Sami Hyypia as coach Saturday after an alarming mid-season slump and turned to the Finns former coaching partner Sascha Lewandowski to secure Champions League qualification. The Bundesliga club said in a statement that the former Liverpool defender Hyypia was being released "with immediate effect" following Fridays 2-1 loss at relegation-threatened Hamburger SV. Lewandowski stepped back to resume coaching Leverkusens youth side after securing Champions League qualification with Hyypia last season. He has been charged with securing at least fourth place in the Bundesliga to repeat the feat this time around. "He helped us out in a critical situation once before when he worked alongside Sami Hyypia following the release of Robin Dutt," Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller said. "Were firmly convinced he will succeed again." Leverkusen previously drew with bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig and is in danger of losing fourth place, with both Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in a position to overtake on Saturday. "This decision was more than difficult because Sami did a brilliant job over the last two years," Voeller said. Leverkusen was second at one point in the Bundesliga but had a severe change in fortune after the winter break with only three wins from 12 league games this year. It has also endured humiliating losses to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and second-division Kaiserslautern in the German Cup. "What he and his coaching staff achieved with the team in the first half of the season was well beyond expectations and earned him praise from all sides," Voeller said. "Thats why the current slump is even more painful for us. The dramatic events of the last few weeks leave us no other choice but to bring about a separation. We want to and have to try everything to save the season." Assistant coach Jan-Moritz Lichte was also released. "Its not an easy situation for me now to take Samis place," Lewandowski said. "We had responsibility for this team together for more than a year. So you cant take over without regret that the former partner couldnt realize his dreams." Kicker magazine said that Thomas Schaaf (former Werder Bremen coach), Markus Weinzierl (Augsburg), Armin Veh (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Jos Luhukay (Hertha Berlin) are all possible candidates to take over from next season. Hyypia is the seventh coach to lose his job in the Bundesliga this season, following the dismissals of Bruno Labbadia and his successor Thomas Schneider at Stuttgart, Thorsten Fink and his successor Bert van Marwijk at Hamburger SV, Michael Wiesinger at Nuremberg and Mirko Slomka at Hannover. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . - Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery was so busy in free agency he didnt mind having a few extra weeks to prepare for the draft. Discount NHL Jerseys .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/ . Ferrer, the two-time defending champion in Buenos Aires, is aiming to win his 21st ATP tournament. Ferrer will next face fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the fourth seed, who defeated Jeremy Chardy of France 7-6 (7), 6-3 in another quarterfinal match. Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic . JOHNS, N. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . Top-ranked Rafael Nadal was also taken to three sets but emerged with a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 win over Tobias Kamke of Germany, while second-seeded David Ferrer joined Murray in making an early exit after a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Daniel Brands of Germany.Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - DeMarcus Cousins was at his best on Wednesday, pouring in 30 points with 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action as his Sacramento Kings beat the Denver Nuggets for the second time this week with a 131-109 decision. Cousins shot 10-of-14 from the floor and made 10 of his 11 free throws for the Kings, winners in four straight after opening the season with a home loss to Golden State. They topped the Nuggets in Denver on Monday, 110-105. Playing defense, I believe, helps build chemistry. We trust in one another and its going over to the other side of the floor, Cousins said. Rudy Gay continued his hot start to the season with 29 points, and Carl Landry added 18 off the bench. Randy Foyes 19 points led the way for Denver, which got 13 points and nine assists from Ty Lawson. Every game is going to be a tough game for us, weve not that good right now, Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. Denvers only lead of the game came early on, when Chandlers triple made it 3-2. Ben McLemore hit two freee throws and a turn-around jumper at the other end, and Sacramento led the rest of the way.dddddddddddd Cousins nearly matched the Nuggets by himself in the first quarter, scoring 16 to their 19. Gay chipped in with nine, Darren Collison scored seven and the Kings led 40-19 after one. Denver controlled the second quarter, opening the frame on a 6-0 run and pulling back within nine points midway through after Foyes 3-pointer. Twice the deficit reached eight, but Cousins dunk seconds before halftime made it 68-54. The third quarter played out much like the first, with the Kings asserting their dominance. Two Gay free throws at 7:09 capped a 14-4 run, and the rout was back on. Sacramento led 105-72 after three and cruised with its reserves down the stretch. Game Notes The Kings won the rebounding margin, 40-32 ... Omri Casspi scored 11 off the Kings bench. Collison had 10 points and eight assists ... Sacramento kicks off a four-game road trip in Phoenix on Friday. ' ' '