Leverkusen see off Stuttgart challenge; Schalke slip up
Bayer Leverkusen scored two late goals to overcome a stubborn Stuttgart outfit 4-2 and regain second place in the Bundesliga, while Schalke 04 were beaten 2-1 by Borussia Monchengladbach.
Stefan Reinartz and Stefan Kiessling with his second goal of the game scored in the last 10 minutes to finish off Stuttgart who had twice battled back from behind.
Leverkusen grabbed an early lead through Kiessling before Martin Harnik levelled in the 16th minute.
The hosts regained control of the game just before half-time when Stuttgart's shaky defence, which has let them down so often this season, left Gonzalo Castro unmarked to head in after goalkeeper Sven Ulreich had initially saved his shot.
Serb Zdravko Kuzmanovic came to the rescue, firing in an unstoppable shot seven minutes after the restart to equalise yet again for the visitors, who also rattled the woodwork through Cacau just past the hour.
But another lapse in concentration allowed Reinartz to rise above the Stuttgart defenders and head Leverkusen back into the lead in the 81st minute, before Kiessling made sure of all three points after a fine effort from Sidney Sam.
The result leaves Stuttgart in 17th place on 19 points, level with Monchengladbach.
Leaders Borussia Dortmund are 10 points clear after easing past St Pauli 2-0 earlier in the weekend, with Leverkusen on 45 points.
Champions Bayern Munich, who had briefly climbed to second following their 3-1 victory at Mainz on Saturday, drop back to third on 42.
Meanwhile, UEFA Champions League competitors Schalke 04 suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of rock-bottom Borussia Monchengladbach.
It was Monchengladbach's first home win of the season on coach Lucien Favre's debut to move level on 19 points with Stuttgart.
Peer Kluge gave the visitors a second-minute lead but Gladbach, who looked transformed under Swiss Favre, levelled through Marco Reus before Cameroonian Mohamadou Idrissou, out of favour until recently, headed in the winner in the 23rd minute to leave Schalke languishing in mid-table.
Stefan Reinartz and Stefan Kiessling with his second goal of the game scored in the last 10 minutes to finish off Stuttgart who had twice battled back from behind.
Leverkusen grabbed an early lead through Kiessling before Martin Harnik levelled in the 16th minute.
The hosts regained control of the game just before half-time when Stuttgart's shaky defence, which has let them down so often this season, left Gonzalo Castro unmarked to head in after goalkeeper Sven Ulreich had initially saved his shot.
Serb Zdravko Kuzmanovic came to the rescue, firing in an unstoppable shot seven minutes after the restart to equalise yet again for the visitors, who also rattled the woodwork through Cacau just past the hour.
But another lapse in concentration allowed Reinartz to rise above the Stuttgart defenders and head Leverkusen back into the lead in the 81st minute, before Kiessling made sure of all three points after a fine effort from Sidney Sam.
The result leaves Stuttgart in 17th place on 19 points, level with Monchengladbach.
Leaders Borussia Dortmund are 10 points clear after easing past St Pauli 2-0 earlier in the weekend, with Leverkusen on 45 points.
Champions Bayern Munich, who had briefly climbed to second following their 3-1 victory at Mainz on Saturday, drop back to third on 42.
Meanwhile, UEFA Champions League competitors Schalke 04 suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of rock-bottom Borussia Monchengladbach.
It was Monchengladbach's first home win of the season on coach Lucien Favre's debut to move level on 19 points with Stuttgart.
Peer Kluge gave the visitors a second-minute lead but Gladbach, who looked transformed under Swiss Favre, levelled through Marco Reus before Cameroonian Mohamadou Idrissou, out of favour until recently, headed in the winner in the 23rd minute to leave Schalke languishing in mid-table.
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