Leaders Stumble

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich fought from two goals down to a 2-2 draw at Schalke 04 on Sunday, a result that leaves both clubs stranded three points behind leaders Werder Bremen.

Schalke led 2-0 inside 20 minutes from Peter Lovenkrands and Levan Kobiashwili, but Munich salvaged a draw through Andreas Ottl in the 45th and Roy Makaay in the 52nd minute.

"We slept through the first half hour of the match but got confidence from the first goal and played much better after the break," said Ottl.

Neither side failed to capitalize on Bremen's surprise 1-1 draw Saturday at home against Energie Cottbus. Ivan Klasnic scored with 14 minutes left to cancel out Cottbus' 49th-minute opener from Francis Kioyo.

Kioyo scored for Cottbus with a fine solo run in the 49th minute, but substitute Ivan Klasnic salvaged at least a point for Bremen with 14 minutes left.

Bremen, who scored 18 goals in their four previous league wins, now have 20 points but fast-rising VfB Stuttgart are just two point behind thanks to a 4-2 triumph over Alemannia Aachen.

Hertha Berlin improved to third place with 16 points thanks to a 2-1 win over Nuremberg.

Also on 16 points each going into their showdown are Schalke 04 and champions Bayern Munich, with the winner of that match on Sunday moving into second place.

Cottbus had Bremen on ropes

Bremen never got going like in previous games against a disciplined Cottbus side that allowed playmaker Diego and company of strikers little space to maneuver.

History seemed to repeat itself when Cottbus, winners in Bremen when the two sides last met in the Bundesliga in 2002/2003, took a 49th minute lead from Kioyo's stunning solo run and 18-meter (18-yard) blast into the net.

But Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf took every risk he could with four strikers in the closing stages and was awarded with the equalizer from Klasnic.

"Our coach warned us that it would be tough," Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese said. "We should win games like these but we at least got a draw."

Given a chance to bring the Bundesliga leaders to their knees, Cottbus' Timo Rost was disappointed at the outcome.

"We had Bremen on the brink of defeat," he said.

Stuttgart keep streak alive

Stuttgart stretched their unbeaten run to seven games with their win in Aachen, who -- continuing a run of their own -- have now lost their last three games.

New striker star Mario Gomez opened the scoring with a diagonal drive in the 24th and Thomas Hitzlsperger doubled the lead two minutes later from long range.

A second-half double from Swiss Marco Streller -- a short-range effort in the 46th and a 63rd-minute header -- assured Stuttgart of the big win. Sascha Roesler and Vidad Ibisevic scored for the hosts.

"We showed again that we are strong away from home," said Hitzlsperger, whose team has three wins and two draws away from home. "Things are going well."

Nuremberg suffer first defeat

The league has no more undefeated team overall as Hertha's Marco Pantelic raised his tally to a league-leading seven with a 29th and 65th-minute double that sealed Nuremberg's first defeat. Ivica Banovic got the temporary equalizer for the visitors.

Things look very grim for SV Hamburg and their coach Thomas Doll after a 1-0 loss at VfL Wolfsburg. Mike Hanke headed the winner in the 19th minute as six new players compared to Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League debacle against Porto made no difference for Hamburg.

Bayer Leverkusen were held 1-1 by 10-man Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund got a last-gasp 1-1 from Alexander Frei's penalty against Arminia Bielefeld. On Friday, VfL Bochum handed last place to Hanover 96 by winning their game in Hanover 2-0.