Stuttgart end Bayern challenge

VfB Stuttgart completed a memorable week by defeating FC Bayern München to effectively end the champions' Bundesliga challenge and keep themselves in title contention along with Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04.

Two for Cacau
Stuttgart advanced to the German Cup final on Wednesday by defeating VfL Wolfsburg, and built on that success today by scoring twice without reply against Bayern through their 26-year-old Brazilian striker Cacau, who took his league tally to 12 by finding the net in the 24th and 25th minutes. Stuttgart have 58 points, two fewer than Bremen - 3-1 winners against TSV Alemannia Aachen on Friday - and five behind Schalke after they regained top spot today with a 2-0 home success against FC Energie Cottbus. Bayern are adrift in fourth place on 53 points with four rounds to play.

Rost own goal
Energie made it to half-time without conceding in Gelsenkirchen but fell behind in the 59th minute as defender Timo Rost put through his own net. Schalke were quick to further punish that mistake, as Marcelo Bordon, with his first goal since October, doubled the lead five minutes later. Bayer 04 Leverkusen won the big game outside the top four, leapfrogging 1. FC Nürnberg into fifth by defeating them 2-0 at the BayArena, Bernd Schneider scoring twice.

Dortmund relief
Markus Brzenska eased BV Borussia Dortmund's relegation fears by scoring the only goal at Hertha BSC Berlin, while VfL Bochum 1848 and DSC Arminia Bielefeld can also breathe a little easier after respectively winning at Eintracht Frankfurt (3-0) and Wolfsburg (3-2) to leave Aachen in the bottom three. The two teams below them, VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FSV Mainz 05, travel to Hannover 96 and Hamburger SV on Sunday.