Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben hit two goals apiece as Bayern Munich went top of the Bundesliga by beating Werder Bremen 4-1, while champions Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
Frenchman Ribery fired the first goal after 22 minutes before Werder substitute Markus Rosenberg leveled early in the second half.
Dutchman Robben converted two penalties and Ribery was on target again as Bayern produced a dazzling three-goal blitz in 14 minutes in the second period to move on to 31 points from 15 games and end a two-match losing sequence.
Dortmund, who took a first-half lead through Robert Lewandowski before Mike Hanke rifled in a 20m equalizer after 72 minutes, and ’Gladbach both have 30 points.
Cologne’s Lukas Podolski scored twice, including an 88th-minute equalizer, to rescue a 2-2 draw at VfB Stuttgart.
Christian Gentner struck twice for Stuttgart after Podolski had converted a 15th--minute penalty, but the winger then slotted his 11th league goal of the season two minutes from time.
Stuttgart are seventh on 22 points while Cologne are 11th.
Ribery gave Bayern the perfect start when he connected with David Alaba’s pinpoint pass to fire in from 16m midway through the first half.
Bremen went close with a Naldo header after the restart and the visitors then drew level after 52 minutes when Claudio Pizarro flicked the ball on for Rosenberg to thunder in a low drive from just outside the box.
Ribery made it 3-1 eight minutes later before Robben netted his second penalty of the game after a foul on the Frenchman.
Additional reporting by Staff writer
In other play, it was:
‧ Hertha 1, Kaiserslautern 1
‧ Hannover 1, Freiburg 1
‧ Wolfsburg 2, Mainz 2
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