Champions Bayern Munich crushed Hanover 5-1 to climb back up to second place in the Bundesliga yesterday, four points behind leaders Hertha Berlin.

Bayern fell behind to a Jiri Stajner strike but responded with three goals in 14 minutes to set up an emphatic win and offer coach Juergen Klinsmann some respite after a midweek Cup exit at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.

Hertha striker Andriy Voronin scored a hat-trick to steer his team to a 3-1 win away to Energie Cottbus after the hosts had taken an early lead. Wolfsburg made it five wins in a row with a 1-0 victory against Karlsruhe to move level on points and goal difference with Bayern and newcomers Hoffenheim, who could only manage a 0-0 draw against Werder Bremen.

Hamburg are also on 42 points after suffering a 4-1 defeat against Borussia Moenchengladbach, who lifted themselves off the bottom spot for the first time in months.

With Franck Ribery, Luca Toni and captain Mark van Bommel all missing, Bayern were short on options but desperate for a win, after only one victory in their past previous five league matches.

They were shocked when Hanover moved ahead with Stajner's curling shot.

Bayern were back level five minutes later through Daniel van Buyten, who rose above two defenders to head home a Bastian Schweinsteiger free-kick.

Miroslav Klose made it 2-1 in the 25th with another header following an almost identical Schweinsteiger free-kick.

Hamit Altintop added a third nine minutes later with Hanover's defence by this time in disarray, when he chased down a Klose header on the right, shrugged off a defender and slotted home.

Further headers from Lukas Podolski and Martin Demichelis wrapped up the win.