Germany round-up: Bayern closing in on title

FC Bayern München moved another step closer to the 1. Bundesliga title thanks to a 2-0 home win against 1. FC Nürnberg, which opened up a ten-point gap at the top of the table.

Dortmund held
A goal in each half gave Bayern the win, while second-placed BV Borussia Dortmund were held to a 2-2 draw at FC Schalke 04. French international defender Bixente Lizarazu opened the scoring for Bayern after 17 minutes, before the leaders sealed all three points 13 minutes into the second period, Brazilian striker Giovane Elber doubling Bayern's advantage.

Early lead
In a tempestuous game at Schalke, the home side were 2-0 up by the 16th minute, with goals from Sven Vermant and fellow Belgian Nico van Kerckhoven putting the home side in control. However, Schalke lost striker Victor Agali to a red card after 38 minutes, and Dortmund fought back after half-time.

Dortmund comeback
Czech striker Jan Koller pulled one back seven minutes after the interval, heading into the net, before Brazilian forward Ewerthon levelled six minutes later. Dortmund lost goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to a second yellow card eleven minutes from time, but held on for a draw.
 
Crucial win
There was better news for Dortmund’s fellow UEFA Champions League contenders Bayer 04 Leverkusen as their relegation worries were eased by a 2-1 win at Hannover 96. However, things looked bleak as Gheorghe Popescu gave the home side the lead after 14 minutes, but Sebastian Schoof equalised late on, before Czech midfield player Jan Šimák struck in stoppage time to secure a crucial win for Leverkusen and their new coach Thomas Hörster.

Success for strugglers
Elsewhere, at the bottom of the table, 1. FC Kaiserslautern stayed bottom despite a 2-0 home win against Hamburger SV. Two goals in seven second-half minutes from Vratislav Lokvenc and Miroslav Klose sealed an important win for the home side, but victories for Leverkusen and FC Energie Cottbus, who surprisingly won 1-0 at SV Werder Bremen thanks to a fifth-minute goal from Marko Topic, left the former champions at the foot of the table.

Points shared
VfL Wolfsburg drew 1-1 at home to TSV 1860 München, with Benjamin Lauth giving 1860 the lead six minutes after half-time only for Diego Klimowicz’s goal 20 minutes later to rescue a point for the home side, who lost Martin Petrov and Hans Sarpei to late red cards. Meanwhile, Antonio di Salvo gave FC Hansa Rostock the lead after 31 minutes, but Vahid Hashemian's 61st-minute goal salvaged a point for VfL Bochum 1848.