Stuttgart slip but stay ahead

VfB Stuttgart were held 0-0 by Hamburger SV, but maintained their two-point Bundesliga lead as SV Werder Bremen drew with title-holders FC Bayern München.

Tight affair
Stuttgart extended their unbeaten start to 15 games with today's result, but their second consecutive goalless league game was a tight affair with few chances, coming in a week where they suffered their first domestic defeat, departing the German Cup against VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bayern level
Bremen would have gone top had they held on to the 58th-minute lead given to them from the penalty spot by Ailton, his 14th goal of the season. But Claudio Pizarro deflected in a Willy Sagnol cross eleven minutes from time to keep Bayern within six points of the lead ahead of their must-win UEFA Champions League meeting with RSC Anderlecht on Wednesday.

Dortmund denied
Third-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen go to bottom side 1. FC Köln on Sunday when FC Schalke 04 play Mönchengladbach, but BV Borussia Dortmund could not close the gap on the top four as they were held 1-1 by Hertha BSC Berlin. Leandro gave Dortmund a 69th-minute lead but ten minutes later Alexander Madlung equalised for a side under caretaker coach Andreas Thom for the first time since the sacking of Huub Stevens.

Hat-trick scorers
VfL Bochum could have taken over from Dortmund in the top five, but lost 4-2 at SC Freiburg, Roda Antar striking a hat-trick for the home side. Another treble-scorer was VfL Wolfsburg's Fernando Baiano, whose three goals secured a 4-1 comeback home win against 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

Max power
Eintracht Frankfurt missed the chance to escape the bottom three as they drew 2-2 at home with Hannover 96, Thomas Christiansen scoring the visitors' second equaliser of the game three minutes from time with a penalty. FC Hansa Rostock were the day's only away winners, Martin Max taking his season's tally to 12 goals with two in a 4-1 win at TSV 1860 München.