Schalke go second as Stuttgart stall

There were further twists in the German race for a UEFA Champions League place as FC Schalke 04 won to go second in the Bundesliga and VfB Stuttgart lost.

Rise and fall
Schalke moved into the runners-up spot behind champions FC Bayern München thanks to a 3-0 victory at VfL Bochum 1848 on Tuesday. However, last season's title winners Stuttgart went down 3-2 at BV Borussia Dortmund to slip more or less out of the running for UEFA Champions League qualification.

Bochum beaten

Tussle for position
Werder Bremen sit one point behind the Gelsenkirchen club in third with a game in hand, but that is a difficult trip to fourth-placed Hamburger SV on Wednesday. A home win would lift Hamburg to within three points of the Weserstadion side, from their current total of 51.

Stuttgart struggle
Stuttgart, meanwhile, may have to accept a UEFA Cup ticket after their defeat by a Dortmund team who have qualified for the same competition via losing the German Cup final to Bayern. Stuttgart trailed throughout at the Westfalenstadion, with Mario Gómez having to cancel out Tinga's first-half goal before Dortmund struck again through an Alexander Frei double. Gómez's late effort merely reduced arrears. Stuttgart remain fifth on 51 points, three above Bayer 04 Leverkusen who play Hertha BSC Berlin on Wednesday.