Derby relief for Bayern

FC Bayern München stayed in touch with the German Bundesliga leaders after a 1-0 derby win against TSV 1860 München, while VfB Stuttgart kept their unbeaten start going.

Makaay goal
In a tight first half, Roy Makaay put Bayern ahead on 34 minutes. Both sides played the last half-hour with ten men after 1860's Andreas Görlitz and Bayern's Hasan Salihamidzic were dismissed, and the title-holders only held on for their seventh-consecutive victory against their fellow Olympiastadion-based outfit after Oliver Kahn made a late save from Benjamin Lauth.

Stuttgart victory
Bayern are fourth, but still six points adrift of leaders Stuttgart, who beat Hannover 96 3-1. Imre Szabics opened the scoring just before the half-hour for Stuttgart, and 12 minutes from time Silvio Meissner doubled the lead. Thomas Brdaric pulled one back, but Meissner scored again in added time to further cheer the home fans who had already heard that Andreas Hinkel is to sign a contract extension.

Leverkusen comeback
However, Bayer 04 Leverkusen lost ground on Stuttgart after they were held 2-2 at fifth-placed BV Borussia Dortmund, who even led 2-0 after goals on 29 and 32 minutes from Salvatore Gambino. But Oliver Neuville soon pulled one back, and although Leverkusen had Diego Placente dismissed a quarter-hour from the end after two yellow cards, Marko Babic equalised with 13 minutes left.

Bremen in second
SV Werder Bremen took advantage of Leverkusen's slip to move up to second, two points behind Stuttgart, as they beat VfL Bochum 1848 3-1. The Bundesliga's leading scorer Ailton took his season's tally to 13 with a hat-trick scored on six, 14 and 50 minutes - the latter a penalty - to ensure Frank Fahrenhorst's late goal was only a consolation.

Mixed fortunes for strugglers
FC Schalke 04, who have signed Ailton for the 2004/05 season, remain in the bottom half after a 1-0 home defeat by FC Hansa Rostock. VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach secured their second win of the season with a 3-1 victory at VfL Wolfsburg, meaning 1. FC Köln remain bottom after losing
1-0 at home to Hamburger SV.

Sunday games
In Sunday's games, strugglers 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Hertha BSC Berlin meet, while Eintracht Frankfurt will seek to escape the bottom three when they visit SC Freiburg.