Stuttgart head to the top

VfB Stuttgart took advantage of Bayer 04 Leverkusen's inactivity to move top of the Bundesliga with a 4-1 win at home to SC Freiburg.

Stuttgart success
Felix Magath's side began the day on 24 points, one behind Leverkusen, who have the chance to go back to the top on Sunday when they visit 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Fifth-placed BV Borussia Dortmund take on Hamburger SV the same day.

Kuranyi on target
Stuttgart's German international striker Kevin Kuranyi opened the scoring three minutes past the half-hour, only for Soumaila Coulibaly to equalise for the visitors two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Decisive spell
However, Freiburg lost midfield player Andreas Zeyer to a red card 13 minutes after the interval and Stuttgart made the numerical advantage tell to extend the Bundesliga's only unbeaten record. Christian Tiffert restored their lead two minutes past the hour and Aleksandar Gleb scored a third two minutes later, before Kuranyi completed the win in the 65th minute.

Bremen buoyant
SV Werder Bremen joined Leverkusen on 25 points with a 3-1 win at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. Two goals in eight first-half minutes, from Brazilian striker Ailton and defender Frank Baumann, put the home side in command, and although Chris halved the deficit midway through the second half, Ivan Klasnic quickly re-established Bremen's two-goal lead.

Bayern beaten
FC Bayern München remained fourth despite a 2-0 defeat at FC Schalke 04, with Tomasz Hajto opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 16th minute. Bayern defender Thomas Linke was then sent off, but it was not until the 79th minute that the home side made the points safe, with Dutch defender Niels Oude Kamphuis scoring a second.

Lauth lifts 1860 München
Sixth-placed VfL Bochum 1848 suffered a 3-1 defeat at TSV 1860 München despite taking a 34th-minute lead through Vahid Hashemian. Benjamin Lauth equalised four minutes into the second period and then put 1860 München in front from the penalty spot and completed his hat-trick 13 minutes from time.

Wolfsburg victory
VfL Wolfsburg were 3-0 winners at home to Hertha BSC Berlin, with Andrés D'Alessandro opening the scoring midway through the first period before two Diego Klimowicz strikes completed the win in the second half.

Late winner
A Daniel Stendel goal ten minutes from time earned Hannover 96 a 2-1 win at 1. FC Köln, who slipped deeper into trouble at the bottom of the table. Thomas Brdaric gave the visitors the lead in the 32nd minute, although Matthias Scherz's equaliser five minutes later seemed to have earned Köln a draw.

Strugglers draw
The bottom two met as VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach took on FC Hansa Rostock, and all the action took place in a frantic seven-minute spell just past the half-hour. Vaclav Sverkos gave Mönchengladbach the lead in the 30th minute only for Joakim Persson to equalise three minutes later and the home side were forced to play almost an hour with ten men after the dismissal of Arie van Lent nine minutes before half-time, but held on for a draw.