Schalke back on top as Bayern lose

Schalke 04 reclaimed the top of the Bundesliga table from Werder Bremen yesterday with a 2-0 victory over Energie Cottbus. But Bayern Munich's faint hopes of a third straight championship were effectively crushed by Stuttgart.

Werder had taken first place temporarily with a 3-1 win over Alemannia Aachen on Friday that put them on 60 points before Schalke took the lead back. Schalke, looking for their first ever Bundesliga title, have 62 points with four rounds left.

Timo Rost's own-goal on the hour gave Schalke a deserved 1-0 lead against defensive-minded Cottbus before captain Marcelo Bordon doubled the advantage four minutes later, outleaping two markers to head in a powerful Lincoln corner.

Schalke, who have squandered leads late in two of the last five seasons, have now won three straight games.

"We're not going to lose our nerve," said Schalke coach Mirko Slomka. "It would be a wonderful thing if we're still first in four weeks' time, but it's going to remain tense until the final match. We know a loss can knock us off the top."

Schalke, cheered on by over 61,000, struggled in the first half to crack a packed defence.

Rost had just missed giving Cottbus the lead in the 52nd minute when his shot hit the post.

Eight minutes later, the Cottbus midfielder found the net but it was his own. He slid in to try to stop a low cross, but turned the ball in and Bordon sealed victory soon afterwards.

In front of a sell-out home crowd of 55,000, Stuttgart overpowered Bayern 2-0 in a showdown for third place - and a spot in the Champions League qualification.

Stuttgart have 58 points with Bayern on 53.

Cacau struck twice within two minutes midway through the first half and the hosts, who also reached the German Cup final, dominated Bayern for most of the match.

Cacau got free again in the 28th minute but just missed. He also hit the bar five minutes after that, prompting Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn to throw away his cap in disgust at his leaky defence. Kahn got a yellow card for wasting time.

Bayern, hoping to at least move to third and get back into the championship with a win, are nine points behind Schalke with four rounds left.

"All around the world Bayern Munich are seen as the top club in Germany," said midfielder Mark van Bommel. "But this season we're not what we should be."

Bayern have won six of the last eight Bundesliga championships.