Werder Bremen blew a golden opportunity to go top of the Bundesliga on Sunday as they crashed to a shock 3-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Arminia Bielefeld.
With three games left to go and league-leaders Schalke 04 losing 2-1 to VfL Bochum on Friday night, third-placed Bremen passed up the chance to leap-frog their rivals and re-take the top spot they last held in January.
Although Bremen equalized twice, Bielefeld were worthy winners in an electric game with both sides creating plenty of chances.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Bielefeld went 1-0 up when defender Heiko Westermann scored after 30 minutes until German striker Miroslav Klose -- who has been linked with a move away to rivals Bayern Munich or even Juventus in Italy -- equalized in the 58th minute.
Danish midfielder Jonas Kamper fired his side into the lead just a minute later, only to see Bremen's Hugo Almeida draw Bremen level on 74 minutes.
But Bielefeld striker Christian Eigler struck with just more than 10 minutes left to seal the win and take his side up three places to 13th.
But with Bremen and Schalke both losing, Stuttgart have come back into the title race after their 1-0 win over bottom-side Borussia Monchengladbach -- who are now sure to be relegated -- on Saturday pushed them into second place.
Midfielder Roberto Hilbert's 53rd minute goal was enough to give Stuttgart the three points.
Stuttgart's win means Bayern Munich are now virtually sure to miss out on a Champions League place next season after they lost 2-1 at home to Hamburg.
The defeat leaves Bayern in fourth, seven points behind third-placed Bremen with three games left.
Mid-table Energie Cottbus had Karim Haggui to thank for their 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen after his 84th minute winner on Sunday.
Hertha Berlin, meanwhile, trounced Alemannia Aachen 4-0 to go seventh in the league.
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