Mario Gomez hit four goals to inspire Stuttgart to a 4-1 victory over Bundesliga leaders VfL Wolfsburg yesterday. Wolfsburg were joined at the top by champions Bayern Munich who won 3-1 at Energie Cottbus.

With three matches left Wolfsburg lead on goal difference from Bayern on 60 points. Hertha Berlin are a point behind after beating Bochum 2-0 while fourth-placed Stuttgart complete the title log-jam on 58.

Stuttgart stunned the visitors with a goal in the first minute when the unmarked Gomez nodded in from 11 metres. The Germany striker added his second from close range in the 20th, with Wolfsburg's defence in disarray.

The leaders hit back before the break with Edin Dzeko netting his 20th goal of the season.

Any thoughts of a comeback were short-lived when Gomez fired home from 14 metres on 63 minutes before putting the seal on his spectacular performance with another header after 77.

Bayern, with Frenchman Franck Ribery on the bench, were the more aggressive side at Cottbus and striker Lukas Podolski had a powerful early shot brilliantly saved by keeper Gerhard Tremmel.

Hamit Altintop also went wide with a close-range effort before Bayern struck on 23 minutes with Jose Sosa's eight-metre volley.

The visitors twice went close when Mark van Bommel's header was cleared off the line and Altintop was thwarted from the rebound.

Lowly Cottbus levelled a minute before the break through Ivica Iliev but defender Martin Demichelis restored Bayern's lead in the 62nd and Podolski made sure of all three points with a low shot four minutes later.

Ribery, who came on as a substitute in the second half, had a 90th-minute penalty saved by Tremmel.