Bremen Picks Up

Schalke 04 moved back level with Werder Bremen at the top of the German Bundesliga with a convincing 3-1 victory over local rival Borussia Dortmund on Sunday. Goals from Christian Pander, Kevin Kuranyi and Peter Loevenkrands before a late Dortmund consolation gave Schalke their sixth victory in seven games.

On Saturday, Thomas Schaaf's side nearly made up for the disappointment of getting dumped out of the Champions League by Barcelona in midweek. If the Bremen players were suffering any hangover from that Barca defeat it certainly didn't show, with Brazilian defender Naldo putting them into the lead after three minutes play. Marco Russ had Frankfurt back on level terms a minute later, but that only served to invigorate Bremen.

Danish midfielder Daniel Jensen put the visitor's back in front in the 11th minute, with Naldo increasing their advantage on the half hour. And the defender whom Schaaf reckons is the most talented in Brazil popped up with a third just after the break with Jurica Vranjes and Diego completing the rout in the dying minutes.

Sotorios Kyrgiakos bagged a late consolation for the hosts.

Schalke and Werder Bremen both have 33 points from 16 games, but Werder have the vastly better goal difference.

Champions struggle

Bayern Munich, now Germany's only representative in the Champions League, struggled to see off Energie Cottbus 2-1 to put them level in third with Schalke 04 but with an inferior goal difference.

After last week's draw with Monchengladbach, Bayern took all three points with Bastian Schweinsteiger opening the scoring with a 42nd minute freekick. His hastily taken setpiece caught out Energie's excellent Bosnian keeper Tomislav Piplica.

Steffan Baumgart leveled for Cottbus, with Dutch defender Daniel van Buyten saving Bayern's blushes with the 54th minute decider.

Schalke 04 can draw level with Bremen at the summit if they get a result against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

Hamburg meanwhile were unable to follow up their Champions League win over CSKA Moscow in mid-week, the second from bottom club playing out a goalless draw with Nuremberg. That performance may hasten the departure of coach Thomas Doll.

On Friday, Bayer Leverkusen emerged the 2-1 winners over Hertha Berlin to put them in sixth spot, 10 points shy of Bremen.

In Sunday's other game, visiting Alemannia Aachen came from behind to defeat Wolfsburg 2-1.