Bayer 04 Leverkusen returned to the top in Germany and equalled a Bundesliga record despite conceding a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Werder Bremen, while FC Schalke 04 missed the chance to close in due to a 2-1 loss at VfL Wolfsburg.

FC Bayern München's 1-1 draw at 1. FC Nürnberg on Saturday meant a benchmark 23rd outing without defeat would send Leverkusen back to the summit, and until two minutes into added time at the Weserstadion it seemed they would be going a full two points clear. Eren Derdiyok's free-kick put them ahead after 29 minutes and though Claudio Pizarro responded soon after, Toni Kroos restored the visitors' advantage with a thunderous effort from distance close to the hour mark.

Just as it seemed the 20-year-old had delivered the telling blow, however, Per Mertesacker headed in Marko Marin's delivery, leaving Leverkusen just one goal better off than Bayern at the summit. Jupp Heynckes men could nonetheless celebrate matching Bayern's previous best for an unbeaten start to the season, set under Heynckes in 1988/89.

Victory for Schalke would have taken them within a point of the leading duo, but they failed to capitalise despite taking the lead. Fresh from firing a double against UEFA Europa League opponents Villarreal CF in midweek, Grafite helped himself to another pair of goals, in the 71st and 77th minutes, after Kevin Kuranyi had broken the deadlock with half an hour gone.

Wolfsburg's fellow European hopefuls Hertha BSC Berlin also prevailed, meanwhile, lifting themselves to within four points of safety following a 3-0 win at SC Freiburg, who lie just one spot outside the relegation zone. The capital club owed their success to Adrián Ramos's 28th-minute opener and a goal in either half for Cícero.