Bundesliga Week 11

Hamburger SV took advantage of FC Bayern München's goalless draw with BV Borussia Dortmund, moving within four points of the Bundesliga leaders after a 1-0 win at MSV Duisburg on Sunday.

Sell-out crowd
Over 80,000 spectators turned out in Dortmund to watch the visitors miss out on the chance to move six points clear at the top. The sell-out crowd saw no goals but witnessed plenty of commitment in an absorbing first half during which Bayern twice hit the bar, first from Martin Demichelis's thunderous long-range shot and then Miroslav Klose's follow-up. Dortmund raised their game after the break and squandered a number of presentable opportunities, enabling Bayern to return home the more thankful for the point.

Kompany winner
Bayern's shortcomings were exploited by second-placed Hamburg, who sealed an efficient win at Duisburg. Still without injured captain Rafael van der Vaart, the UEFA Cup contenders dominated the match without creating too many chances. Nonetheless, Vincent Kompany's close-range effort on 37 minutes proved enough to reduce the arrears on Bayern.

Nothing could separate UEFA Champions League contenders FC Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday but Hertha BSC Berlin and VfB Stuttgart celebrated welcome wins.

Bremen held
Bremen had been hoping for their first win at the Arena AufSchalke in six years as victory would have taken them to within three points of leaders FC Bayern München, who play on Sunday, but it looked like the Bundesliga's second-placed club might suffer their first defeat in six league matches when Carlos Grossmüller put Schalke ahead after 14 minutes. Brazilian defender Naldo replied for the visitors, though, to share the spoils.

Pantelić strike
Hertha scored twice before the break to secure three points at home against VfL Bochum 1848 thanks to an own goal by Marcel Maltritz and Marko Pantelić's sixth league goal of the season. Like the club from the German capital, VfL Wolfsburg leapfrogged Bayer 04 Leverkusen as a consequence of a convincing 3-1 win against 1. FC Nürnberg. The hosts took a two-goal lead by the 34th minute through Greece striker Angelos Charisteas and Grafite and, although Bosnia-Herzegovnia midfielder Zvjezdan Misimović reduced the arrears for Nürnberg after the break, Ashtan Dejagah ensured Wolfsburg moved into seventh place.

Leverkusen slip
Leverkusen slipped to tenth after Andreas Beck's winner gave Stuttgart their first league success in four matches while, elsewhere, Karlsruher SC dropped to fourth after suffering their second consecutive goalless draw at FC Hansa Rostock. In the other Saturday match a last-minute strike by Denmark forward Dennis Sørensen earned bottom-placed FC Energie Cottbus a 1-1 draw at DSC Arminia Bielefeld, who had edged ahead on 78 minutes through Jonas Kamper.