Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Hanover as Juergen Klopp’s side quickly put their midweek German Cup exit to Bayern Munich behind them.
Dortmund, who host Shakhtar Donetsk for a spot in the Champions League last eight this week, were desperate for a confidence-boosting win that would simultaneously consolidate second place in the Bundesliga.
Bayern, who play lowly Hoffenheim today, lead the title race with 60 points with Borussia Dortmund on 46.
Lewandowski, on the pitch only after he had his initial three-game suspension for a red card reduced to two matches late on Friday, fired the hosts into the lead from close range after a cutback from Kevin Grosskreutz.
The Poland forward, linked with a transfer to Bayern after refusing to extend his contract with the champions beyond 2014, added another in the 20th minute to go top of the league’s scorers’ list with 16.
Hanover, playing without injured midfielder Szabolcs Huszti and top striker Mame Diouf, pulled one back through Mohammed Abdellaoue just before the break but Julian Schieber killed any hopes of a comeback when he threaded in from 15 metres for his first goal of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Hanover general manager Jorg Schmadtke has criticised the German Football Association for its decision to reduce the suspension of Borussia striker Lewandowski, making him eligible to play against the Reds.
The German FA (DFB) on Friday upheld Dortmund’s appeal against a three-game ban for the Poland international after he was sent off during the 4-1 defeat to Hamburg on February 9.
He had already missed Dortmund’s last two games and was therefore available to their coach Jurgen Klopp for the clash at the Westfalenstadion yesterday.
However, Schmadtke has doubted whether his side would have been so successful had they been appealing against a ban to one of their players.
“It is very surprising and odd,” he was quoted as saying in the Bild newspaper.
“This just shows the imbalance, that two or three clubs are able to appeal a judgment which has been confirmed.”
Elsewhere, Schalke 04 teenager Julian Draxler scored twice and set up another goal as the Gelsenkirchen club continued their domestic recovery with a 4-1 demolition of Wolfsburg for their second straight win, yesterday.
Germany international Draxler struck either side of an Ivica Olic equaliser and then provided an assist to Peruvian Jefferson Farfan.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar drilled in from a tight angle in the 86th minute to help Schalke move up to sixth place on 36 points.
Results, standings
Nuremberg 1 - Freiburg 1
B. Dortmund 3 - Hanover 1
B. Leverkusen 2 - Stuttgart 1
Hamburg 1 - G. Fuerth 1
Wolfsburg 1 - Schalke 4
W. Bremen 0 - Augsburg 1
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| B. Munich | 23 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 63 | 8 | 60 |
| B. Dortmund | 24 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 54 | 28 | 46 |
| B. Leverkusen | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 45 | 31 | 45 |
| E. Frankfurt | 24 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 38 | 35 | 38 |
| Freiburg | 24 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 30 | 23 | 36 |
| Schalke 04 | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 41 | 39 | 36 |
| Hamburg | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 29 | 33 | 35 |
| B. M’gladbach | 24 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 33 | 34 | 34 |
| Mainz | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 31 | 28 | 33 |
| Hanover 96 | 24 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 47 | 45 | 33 |
| Stuttgart | 24 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 26 | 42 | 29 |
| Nuremberg | 24 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 31 | 28 |
| W. Bremen | 24 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 39 | 48 | 28 |
| Duesseldorf | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 28 | 31 | 27 |
| Wolfsburg | 24 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 24 | 37 | 27 |
| Augsburg | 24 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 21 | 36 | 21 |
| Hoffenheim | 23 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 27 | 48 | 16 |
| G. Fuerth | 24 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 37 | 14 |
Playing today
Hoffenheim vs B. Munich - 15.30
Duesseldorf vs Mainz - 17.30