Dutch star Arjen Robben hit a second-half wonder goal on Saturday as Bayern Munich came from behind to win 3-2 at Werder Bremen as the German giants went top of the league.
Robben’s stunning direct free-kick gave Louis van Gaal-coached Bayern their sixth straight league win, while the Netherlands star hit his fifth league goal of the season on his 26th birthday.
Flying Dutch winger Robben, who signed for 24 million euros (US$34 million) from Real Madrid last summer, hit a curling free-kick that gave Bremen’s Germany goalkeeper Tim Wiese no chance on 78 minutes.
Van Gaal slipped over on the sidelines in his joy at the winning goal, just before his compatriot Robben leapt on top of him to celebrate taking first place in the league.
It was a bitter blow for the home side, who had opened the scoring after midfielder Aaron Hunt slotted home from close range after 10 minutes.
Bayern hit back when rising star Thomas Mueller scored after good work by Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on 25 minutes, before Croatia striker Ivica Olic netted from a Philipp Lahm cross 10 minutes later.
It left Bayern 2-1 up at the break as they welcomed back French midfielder Franck Ribery, who came on for Olic in the second half to make his first appearance for Munich since suffering a knee injury on Oct. 3.
Bremen equalized when Portugal striker Hugo Almeida slotted home a top-class goal on 75 minutes, before Robben’s stunning winner.
A stoppage-time goal from VfL Bochum’s Slovakia striker Stanislav Sestak robbed Schalke 04 of the chance to go top as the Royal Blues were held 2-2.
Schalke took the lead when Uruguay striker Vicente Sanchez converted a pass from Jefferson Farfan in the fifth minute, before former Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi made it 2-0 to the hosts just before the halftime whistle.
The result left Felix Magath-coached Schalke third in the table.
Borussia Dortmund were up to fourth in the table after their 1-0 win at home to Hamburg SV on Saturday evening.
Having picked up only their second win of the season last weekend, bottom side Hertha Berlin were held 0-0 at home by Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Hertha’s Czech Republic goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny kept his side in the game when he saved a first-half penalty from Gladbach’s Venezuelan midfielder Juan Arango, while Nuremberg drew 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt.
New Hannover 96 boss Mirko Slomka got off to a losing start when his side were beaten 1-0 at mid-table FSV Mainz 05, which left them in 16th place.
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