Bayern hold Bremen to maintain lead

FC Bayern München preserved their three-point lead over Werder Bremen after coming from behind to draw 1-1 against their second-placed rivals while FC Schalke 04 gained ground courtesy of a 3-2 Ruhr derby victory against BV Borussia Dortmund.

All square
With Werder slipping up last week against VfL Bochum 1848, the UEFA Cup contenders knew three points would draw them level with Bayern once more. And they got off to the perfect start at the Fußball Arena München when Diego struck after just six minutes.

Spot-kick save
Bayern squandered the chance to draw level shortly after when Luca Toni's penalty kick was saved by Tim Wiese, who was one of nine players cautioned in a feisty contest. But Ottmar Hitzfeld's charges deservedly equalised just after the half-hour mark when Zé Roberto grabbed his third Bundesliga goal of the season.

Ernst winner
Elsewhere, Schalke left it late to overcome local rivals Dortmund as Fabian Ernst scored an 82-minute winner. Gerald Asamoah put the UEFA Champions League hopefuls ahead 19 minutes into the first half, but the hosts were back on level terms within two minutes when Giovanni Federico equalised. However, Schalke hit back ten minutes later when Martin Amedick scored an own goal, but Dortmund once more responded through Mladen Petrić who scored five minutes after the break. Ernst’s winner lifts Schalke into third, five points behind Bayern.


Neither Bayer 04 Leverkusen or Hamburger SV could make up significant ground on the top two in the Bundesliga after sharing the points at the BayArena but champions VfB Stuttgart lost again.

All square
With FC Bayern München and Werder Bremen meeting tomorrow, victory for either Leverkusen or Hamburg would have given them renewed title hope. Rafael van der Vaart's tenth league goal of the season on 28 minutes put the visitors ahead, but Manuel Friedrich levelled on the hour.

Late goal
Jan Rosenthal's goal three minutes from time saved Hannover from defeat at home to Karlsruhe. Hanno Balitsch's strike a minute before the interval had put the hosts in front but two goals in three second-half minutes from Joshua Kennedy and Tamas Hajnal looked like earning Karlsruhe the points until Rosenthal's intervention.

Stuttgart woe
Stuttgart's disappointing season shows no sign of abating after a 3-1 home reverse at the hands of Hertha BSC Berlin. The hosts fell behind early on when Marko Pantelić struck but Stuttgart levelled on 40 minutes through Mario Gómez. This provided false hope though as Pantelić scored again and Rafael added a further goal in the second half.

Wolfsburg mobile
Elsewhere VfL Wolfsburg are up to ninth after a 2-1 win against strugglers MSV Duisburg. Claudiu Niculescu (26) gave the visitors the lead but Marcel Schäfer ten minutes later and Grafite nine minutes after the break turned the game round for Wolfsburg.

Energie comeback
FC Energie Cottbus came from two goals down to rescue a point at VfL Bochum 1848. Bochum were two goals up through Kristijan Ipsa's own goal and Stanislav Sesták's strike but Energie responded through Michal Papadopulos before the break. Benjamin Auer (68) then restored the two-goal advantage but Ervin Skela a minute later and Branko Jelić (79) earned Energie a point. In day's other fixture 1. FC Nürnberg and FC Hansa Rostock drew 1-1.