Leverkusen late show stuns Schalke

A goal five minutes from time by Stefan Kiessling helped Bayer 04 Leverkusen inflict a surprise 1-0 home defeat on Bundesliga leaders FC Schalke 04 but fellow contenders Werder Bremen failed to take advantage as they were held by lowly VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Kiessling winner
Schalke were attempting to move seven points clear at the top of the table with victory but have now taken just a point from their last two outings after Kiessling's fifth goal of the season condemned them to their first defeat in Gelsenkirchen this season. Leverkusen, meanwhile, built on their midweek victory against Blackburn Rovers FC in the UEFA Cup to stay eighth but move within four points of fifth-placed 1. FC Nürnberg in the standings.

Wome opener
Bremen were also the victims of a late goal as they visited Mönchengladbach. A win would have moved them above VfB Stuttgart into second on goal difference and it looked as though they might be on their way to achieving that target when Pierre Wome struck on eleven minutes. Michael Delura found an equaliser for the Bundesliga's bottom team six minutes later however to take them into the break all-square.

Late drama
Bremen were back in front six minutes from time when Croatian international defender Jurica Vranješ found the net for the third time this season, yet it still would not prove enough to earn three points as Nando Rafael found the net for the first time in the current campaign four minutes into added time. A vital point, it edged Mönchengladbach to within three points of VfL Bochum 1848 - the first team above the relegation zone in 15th.