Germany round-up: Leverkusen reach pole position

Bayer 04 Leverkusen stormed to the top of the 1. Bundesliga with a 4-0 win over BV Borussia Dortmund, who led the table going into the game, on Sunday.

Devastating defeat
Leverkusen inflicted a devastating defeat on Matthias Sammer's side at the BayArena with a superb second-half performance after the dismissal of Dortmund's Jan Koller to leave the UEFA Champions League challengers in pole position for the German title.

Ballack on target
Ewerthon had a goal disallowed for offside after eight minutes for the visitors before Leverkusen took control of the game with Michael Ballack's 30th-minute strike from a Diego Placente cross. Five minutes into the second half, Carsten Ramelow made it 2-0, heading home after goalkeeper Jens Lehmann failed to hold a corner kick.

Koller sees red
Koller was dismissed after 54 minutes for tangling with Placente, and from then on it was all Leverkusen. Klaus Topmöller's side made it 3-0 after 64 minutes when Oliver Neuville headed home firmly from inside the area and the rout was completed after 75 minutes when substitute Dimitar Berbitov lashed the ball past Lehmann from Neuville's cross.

European action
The victory will be a major boost for Leverkusen ahead of their Champions League match at Arsenal FC on Wednesday, while Dortmund have until Thursday to revive their spirits as they face the return leg of their UEFA Cup fourth-round tie with Lille OSC.

Bremen falter at home
In the day's other game, SV Werder Bremen had an unhappy afternoon at the Weserstadion as their challenge for a UEFA Cup place faltered against Hamburger SV. Argentinian striker Bernardo Romeo scored the only goal of the game for Hamburg after 75 minutes to ease their fears of drifting towards the relegation zone.