Gómez glut tightens Bundesliga title race

Mario Gómez scored all VfB Stuttgart's goals in a 4-1 win at home to leaders VfL Wolfsburg which moved them to within two points of the summit, a position now shared by FC Bayern München after their 3-1 victory at FC Energie Cottbus.



Prolific scorers
The match at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion had been billed as a showdown between three of the four top goalscorers in the Bundesliga and the visiting pair of Grafite and Edin Džeko were certainly overshadowed by the German international. The 23-year-old headed the hosts ahead inside a minute and struck again from close range before Džeko pulled one back before the break. However, further strikes from Gómez on 63 and 77 minutes swelled his recent tally to nine in five games and hauled him level with Grafite on 23 league goals for the season.

Hertha close
Bayern took full advantage of Wolfsburg's demise to move behind the leaders on goal difference. José Ernesto Sosa (23) volleyed them in front at Energie only for Ivica Iliev to level prior to the interval. Two goals in three second-half minutes from Martín Demichelis and Lukas Podolski settled matters. Hertha BSC Berlin are still right in the title mix too after a 2-0 success at home to VfL Bochum 1848 moved the capital club a point off the pace, Marko Pantelić (39) and Raffael (50) scoring either side of half-time.

Winning streak
BV Borussia Dortmund rose to fifth as they earned a seventh straight league win with a 4-0 defeat of basement side Karlsruher SC, Alexander Frei (81) completing the scoring with his 12th league goal of the campaign. At the other end of the form table, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim ended a 12-match run without a victory by beating 1. FC Köln 2-0, while Eintracht Frankfurt edged closer to survival thanks to a 1-1 draw at Hannover 96. On Friday, Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at home with lowly DSC Arminia Bielefeld.