Leverkusen keep lead

Bayer Leverkusen widened its lead in the German Bundesliga after a win against VfL Wolfsburg Saturday afternoon, but the three-point margin didn't last long.

A 3-1 victory by Bayern Munich against Borussia Dortmund later in the day took the club’s goal difference to 29, one short of Leverkusen's 30; both clubs are tied at 48 points.

"Borussia played very well tactically, but we deserved to win, but we had to work hard," said Louis van Gaal, Bayern's coach. "Our goalkeeper played well to deny them. We scored the goals, so we deserved to win."

Bayern's France international midfielder Franck Ribery started the match, having struggled with an injury for the past four months, though van Gaal took him off during the game as he felt the Frenchman was not yet up to a full game.

"We are playing three games in a week and I took Ribery off to give him some breathing space ahead of our Champions League match midweek. But he is edging closer to playing a full 90-minute match."

In other soccer action Saturday, VfB Stuttgart's five-match winning streak came to an end at home as the team fell to SV Hamburg 3-1. Werder Bremen thrashed Hanover 96 5-1, VfL Bochum beat Hoffenheim 2-1 and bottom club Hertha Berlin came from behind to draw against Mainz 05.


cmk/AFP/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Andreas Illmer