Bayern reclaim top spot, Leverkusen slip up

FC Bayern München returned to the summit in Germany by responding to Borussia Dortmund's 6-1 defeat of VfB Stuttgart on Friday with a 2-1 victory at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Bayern did not have things all their own way. Indeed, they went behind when Hoffenheim defender Niklas Süle bundled in after Manuel Neuer had spilled a 34th-minute corner.

Mario Mandžukić redirected Franck Ribéry's free-kick to equalise five minutes later, though, and Thomas Müller scrambled in the winner a quarter of an hour from time. The Bavarians have now equalled Hamburger SV's long-time Bundesliga record of 36 games unbeaten. 

That result means Dortmund are once again a point adrift. Robert Lewandowski registered a second-half hat-trick as the Schwarzgelben emphatically recovered from behind at home to Stuttgart.

Three points further back are Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who surprisingly succumbed 1-0 to Eintracht Braunschweig. Leverkusen's second loss of the campaign was only Braunschweig's second win, and it came courtesy of Dominik Kumbela's late effort.

Fourth-placed VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach took advantage. Max Kruse scored both goals in a 2-0 triumph at Hamburg, trimming Leverkusen's lead over them to six points.

FC Schalke 04 matched that scoreline against Hertha BSC Berlin, while 1. FC Nürnberg remain winless after falling 3-0 at home to ten-man SC Freiburg. VfL Wolfsburg overcame Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the late fixture.