Winter Champs Bremen

In the day's other match, Borussia Dortmund's indifferent season continued with a feeble 2-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

Schalke got a late 1-0 win at Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday to move clear at the top with 36 points but Bremen move ahead of Mirko Slomka's side on goal difference thanks to the win against Wolfsburg.

Defending champions Bayern Munich let it be known they intend to play a major part in proceedings in the new year with a 4-0 rout of Mainz 05 to move on to 33 points.

On Sunday, Bremen dominated the early stages but it was the visitors who got the first clear chance after just four minutes but Jacek Krzynowek dithered, allowing goalkeeper Tim Wiese to block his effort. Seven minutes later at the other end, Miroslav Klose saw his shot from six meters brilliantly blocked by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch.

Klose also had a weak shot saved by Jentzsch before Daniel Jensen scored with an overhead kick in the 17th minute after Wolfsburg failed to clear their lines.

Bremen had a great chance to go further in front on 34 minutes when awarded a penalty after Diego was adjudged to have been fouled in the area but the midfielder fired the resultant spot kick against the foot of the post and wide.

Wolfsburg made Bremen pay four minutes before the break when Isaac Boakye lobbed a shot over Wiese from eight meters.

Naldo nearly restored Bremen's lead in the 68th minute but Jentzsch parried the Brazilian's fierce free kick. However, Jentzsch was rooted to the spot in the 86th minute when Naldo fired in an unstoppable shot from another well-worked free kick from the edge of the area.

At Dortmund's Westfalen stadium, Bayer Leverkusen meanwhile totally outclassed the home side and were fully deserving of their 2-1 win. Andrey Voronin put the visitors in front on 24 minutes before substitute Stefan Kiessling made it 2-1 with a fine counter-attacking goal with 14 minutes remaining.

Martin Amedick pulled one back for Dortmund in the 85th minute but it turned out to be too little too late.

Dortmund's defeat will increase the pressure on coach Bert van Marwijk to leave during the winter break rather than at the end of the season as he has already announced.

Mainz will spend Christmas in last place with 11 points after the loss to Munich, two points shy of Hamburg and four points behind Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Mönchengladbach lost 2-0 at VfL Bochum on Friday while Hamburg drew 3-3 with Alemannia Aachen despite leading 3-1. Hertha Berlin fought to a 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt and Nuremberg beat 10-man Hanover 96 3-1.