Bundesliga - Round-up: Bayern end Gelsenkirchen curse

Bayern Munich ended their Gelsenkirchen curse with a 1-0 win at Schalke 04 while Werder Bremen kept up the chase with a 2-0 victory at home to Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern were outstanding for the first hour against Schalke, regularly carving through the home defence and hardly giving their opponents so much as a sight of goal.

The goal began with a great piece of work from Bastian Schweinsteiger, who found Franck Ribery running into the penalty area with a clever pass inside.

The French playmaker took the ball on and crossed to the near post, where Klose, arriving late, surprised the Schalke defence to score with what looked to be his hip.

Klose headed against the bar in the 38th minute and early in the second half Ribery again strolled through the defence only to land a chip over the keeper and just wide.

Luca Toni brought a sharp save with a header in the 60th minute and, following up, Daniel van Buyten managed to head against the bar from two metres.

Bayern almost had cause to regret their generosity as Schalke missed two good chances to equalise when Marcelo Bordon headed over from a perfect position and Rafinha shot straight at Oliver Kahn from close range.

- - -

HANOVER 2-1 NUREMBERG

Arnold Bruggink scored with a left-foot shot that whistled under the bar from the edge of the area to set Hanover on their way to a first league win since December 8.

Nuremberg equalised through Zvjezdan Misimovic in the 52nd minute before Hanover clinched the points with a goal from Szabolcs Huszti with 25 minutes to go.

- - -

HANSA ROSTOCK 1-1 ARMINIA BIELEFELD

Bielefeld are still looking for their first win of 2008 after a match that started and ended badly for them.

The visitors should have taken the lead in the 17th minute only for Artur Wichniarek to hit a weak penalty that was easily saved.

Bielefeld continued pressing and took a deserved lead through Christian Eigler in the 84th minute only for Fin Bartels to equalise with a right-foot shot two minutes later.

- - -

KARLSRUHE 3-1 WOLFSBURG

Karlsruhe stepped up their bid for a European place with victory over Wolfsburg.

Mario Eggimann tapped the ball in from two yards to put them ahead in the 22nd minute.

Marcel Schaefer supplied a calm finish from 10 metres to equalise for Wolfsburg before Aleksandr Iashvili set up Josh Kennedy to make it 2-1 in the 73rd minute.

Georgian international Iashvili then added a third in injury time.

- - -

WERDER BREMEN 2-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Werder started slowly but made the most of a bit of luck to claim a win that keeps them in the title race.

Markus Rosenberg looked well offside in the 45th minute when he received a pass from Aaron Hunt but his stylish turn and back-heeled finish was allowed to stand.

Rosenberg then squeezed a shot just inside the post for the second in the 63rd.

- - -

Postponed: Energie Cottbus v VfB Stuttgart