Bayern Munich shot back to the top of the German league on Saturday with an impressive 4-1 win over 10-man Werder Bremen and replaced defending champions Dortmund who were held 1-1 at Moenchengladbach.
France star Franck Ribery scored two superb individual goals, while Dutch winger Arjen Robben converted two penalties as Munich opened a one-point lead at the top.
To compound Bremen's misery, midfielder Aaron Hunt was sent off 10 minutes from time after being shown a straight red following a foul on Germany star Toni Kroos.
Ribery put Bayern ahead in the 22nd minute when he ran at the heart of the Bremen defence on the edge of the penalty area and with runners to both his left and right, the Frenchman to drilled his shot home.
Bremen's reserve goalkeeper Sebastian Mielitz, deputising for Germany international Tim Wiese who lost his father last week, had no chance.
The guests got back on level terms on 51 minutes when Sweden striker Markus Rosenberg turned Bayern defender Holger Badstuber inside out, before firing past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Robben fired home the first of his two penalties on 69 minutes when Bayern's Thomas Mueller was fouled in the penalty area and Ribery then added his second on 77 minutes when he drew Mielitz and then fired into an empty net.
Hunt then saw red and Greek defender Sokratis held back Ribery in the penalty area for Robben to convert his second spot kick to put Bayern 4-1 up.
The win gave the hosts their first win in three league games and allows them to avoid their first hat-trick of Bundesliga defeats in nearly 14 years, while Werder remain fourth.
Dortmund drop to second after they were held to a 1-1 draw at third-placed 'Gladbach.
The visitors went ahead when Poland striker Robert Lewandowski rose highest to head home a cross from Germany's teenage star Mario Goetze on 40 minutes for his 10th league goal of the season.
'Gladbach's 19-year-old goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen got a glove to the header, but failed to prevent the defending champions taking the lead.
The hosts got back on level terms on 72 minutes when ex-Germany striker Mike Hanke scored his third goal in two games. The draw leaves both teams level on 30 points, one behind Bayern.
Japan star Makoto Hasebe was sent off for Wolfsburg in their 2-2 draw at home to Mainz as Wolves threw away a 2-0 lead.
The Japanese midfielder earned his second yellow card of the game, and was shown red, after holding Mainz's Swiss striker Mario Gavranovic in the game's dying stages. The draw leaves Wolfsburg 11th, one place above Mainz.
A header from Senegal striker Papiss Cisse gave Freiburg a point at home to Hanover in a 1-1 draw, while Kaiserslautern were held 1-1 at home to Hertha Berlin.
On Friday, Leverkusen went sixth in the league with a 2-0 win at home to Hoffenheim.
Source: AFP
