Bundesliga Week 12

Hamburg took advantage of FC Bayern München's goalless home draw against Eintracht Frankfurt to move to within two points of the leaders after beating Hertha BSC Berlin 2-1.

Great start
Hamburg made a great start in front of 52,000 fans as Paolo Guerrero struck after just four minutes. Although Patrick Ebert drew the capital club level just short of the hour mark, Bastian Reinhardt had the final say for Huub Stevens's side when he scored the decisive goal in the 80th minute. HSV have 26 points from 12 games, while Bayern remain unbeaten at the summit but with a lead of just two points after failing to break down Eintracht in Munich.

Stuttgart mark
Stuttgart's renaissance continued as they made it three wins from as many games - and first away from home this season - by defeating 1. FC Nürnberg. Hans Meyer's team beat the champions home and away in the Bundesliga last term and in the German Cup final but had no reply to Mario Gómez's goal after 25 minutes. A solitary goal was also enough for Werder Bremen toom, as Hugo Almeida's 39th-minute goal against FC Hansa Rostock kept them in third spot.

Hannover climb
Hannover 96 are up to fourth, leapfrogging FC Schalke 04 (beaten by FC Energie Cottbus on Friday) and Karlsruher SC (home to MSV Duisburgon Sunday), after defeating BV Borussia Dortmund 2-1, while Bayer 04 Leverkusen were the big winners of the day as Sergej Barbarez and Theofanis Gekas both scored twice without reply at home to DSC Arminia Bielefeld.

FC Schalke 04's challenge for the Bundesliga title was dealt a further blow on Friday night as they became the first team this season to lose in the league to the bottom club FC Energie Cottbus.

Bassila winner
French defender Christian Bassila scored the only goal of the game a minute into the second half to hand Schalke a defeat that leaves the fifth-placed side nine points adrift of leaders FC Bayern München in the standings, a deficit which could rise to 12 this weekend. Energie might have led in the first period when Dennis Sørensen clipped the top of the bar, but after Marcelo Bordon did likewise for Schalke just before the break they took the lead when Bassila made the most of a mix-up in the visitors' defence just after the restart.

Missed chances
Schalke, who face Chelsea FC in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, put pressure on Energie in search of an equaliser. Twice midfielder Jermaine Jones went close - directing a close-range header wide on the hour before hitting a volley against the underside of the bar seven minutes later. Substitute Søren Larsen also missed a good chance when scooping a shot over on 77 minutes, but Energie held on for a win that moved them to within a point of 1. FC Nürnberg, VfL Bochum 1848 and MSV Duisburg.