Leaders Bayern stumble as Leverkusen climb Written by: AFP  |  |
| | Bayer Leverkusenīs midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta celebrates after scoring against Wolfsburg during their Bundesliga football match in Wolfsburg. Bayer Leverkusen are up to fifth in the table thanks to their 2-1 win over VfL Wolfsburg. |
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BERLIN (AFP) - Bayer Leverkusen are up to fifth in the table thanks to their win over VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday while Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich stay top despite their 3-1 humbling at champions VfB Stuttgart.
After their UEFA Cup defeat in midweek at Spartak Moscow, Leverkusen moved up from ninth to fifth with a comfortable 2-1 win at Wolfsburg.
The visitors took the lead when Swiss midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta slotted home Stefan Kiessling's pass on 36 minutes before Kiessling bagged one of his own on 52 minutes.
And Wolfsburg were given a consolation goal when German international Manuel Friedrich turned the ball into his own net with 20 minutes left.
Nuremberg sank deeper into the bottom three mire as they were beaten 3-1 at Arminia Bielefeld, who move up to 14th.
The home side had to come from behind after Andreas Wolf headed Nuremberg into an early lead on 43 minutes, before Bielefeld hit back when Rudiger Kauf headed home just after an hour.
Polish striker Artur Wichniarek put his side ahead, before South African striker Sibusiso Zuma sealed the win in injury time to leave Nuremberg five points from safety and third from bottom.
But the shock of the weekend came on Saturday as ten-man Bayern Munich crashed to their first defeat of the season as they were humbled 3-1 by defending Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart.
Two goals by Mario Gomez - scorer of a double in their 4-2 defeat by Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday - and a wonder strike by Turkish international Yildiray Basturk at Stuttgart's Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion meant the leaders were in the shock situation of being 3-0 down at half-time.
Bayern had only conceded four league goals before this game, but they were reduced to ten-men after Brazilian Lucio was shown a red card on 70 minutes before Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni hit a late consolation goal.
This was Bayern's first defeat in any competition this season.
In their defence, this was Munich's second game in less than 48 hours after they drew 2-2 with Bolton Wanderers in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night.
Werder Bremen are just a point behind Bayern in second-place as Brazilian midfielder Diego struck with two first-half goals as the home side won 4-0 against fourth-placed Karlsruhe.
Hamburg are in third after they drew 1-1 at Schalke 04.
Having struggled earlier in the season, Hansa Rostock are up to 15th as they picked up a much-needed three points after striker Enrico Kern hit a hat-trick in their 3-1 win over bottom-club Energie Cottbus.
Hertha Berlin had Brazilian striker Andre Lima to thank as his goal three minutes from time gave his side a 1-0 win over Hanover at a snow-covered Olympic Stadium as a heavy shower before kick-off made conditions difficult.
Mid-table side Eintracht Frankfurt drew 1-1 at Borussia Dortmund.
On Friday night, VfL Bochum put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three with a 2-0 win over second-from-bottom Duisburg with goals by Canadian defender Daniel Imhof and Danish striker Tommy Bechmann.