Meissner doubles up for Stuttgart
BERLIN, Germany -- VfB Stuttgart's remained unbeaten and top of the Bundesliga after a 3-1 home win over Hanover 96 while Werder Bremen moved into second thanks to a 3-1 win over VfL Bochum, with Brazilian Ailton scoring a hat-trick.
Bayer Leverkusen dropped one place to third following a 2-2 draw away to Borussia Dortmund while Bayern Munich stayed fourth thanks to a 1-0 win over city rivals 1860 Munich.
Silvio Meissner scored twice in Stuttgart's win with Imre Szabics also on target.
Szabics fifth of the season on the half-hour mark put the leaders ahead with Meissner making it 2-0 on 78 minutes before Thomas Brdaric pulled a late goal back for Hanover.
Meissner got his second and Stuttgart's third two minutes from the end on a day the southern Germans celebrated signing German international Andreas Hinkel on a long-term contract until 2007.
The result leaves Felix Magath's side on 33 points, two points clear of Bremen and three clear of Leverkusen, who came away from Dortmund with a point despite being reduced to 10 men after Diego Placente's dismissal on 74 minutes.
Leverkusen should have taken the lead on 17 minutes when Robson Ponte put in a wonderful cross from the left but Brazilian Franca somehow headed over from six meters out with the goal gaping.
Dortmund made Leverkusen pay for their profligacy 11 minutes later when young left-winger Salvatore Gambino, who only turns 20 next week, slotted home from just outside the area.
Gambino, in only is second Bundesliga appearance, then made it 2-0 on 32 minutes after giant Czech striker Jan Koller headed on a cross from Lars Ricken.
Leverkusen, however, struck back almost immediately through a crisp right-foot shot from German international Oliver Neuville to leave the score at 2-1. Marko Babic then equalized three minutes after Placente's sending off.
Meanwhile, Werder Bremen continued their strong start to the season as a hat-trick from in-form Brazilian Ailton helped Thomas Schaaf's side to an impressive 3-1 win over Bochum.
Ailton, who has now scored 13 goals so far this season, gave Bremen the perfect start after only five minutes with a sublime chip over the advancing Rein Van Duijnhoven and got his second eight minutes later after being put through by Ivan Klasnic.
The 30-year-old striker completed the scoring for Bremen from the penalty spot four minutes into the second-half before Frank Fahrenhorst pulled one back for Bochum 15 minutes from the end.
Champions Bayern had Dutch striker Roy Makaay to thank for a hard-fought 1-0 win over city rivals 1860 Munich to remain in touch with the leaders.
Makaay scored the only goal of the game with a fine header after some fine work on the left by Roque Santa Cruz.
Both teams were reduced to ten men on the hour when Bayern's Hasan Salihamidzic and 1860's Andreas Goerlitz received their marching orders.
Cologne remain rooted to the bottom of the table after a 1-0 home defeat to SV Hamburg, who move up one place to 11th. Bosnian international Sergej Barbarez got the only goal of the game on 33 minutes.
Borussia Moenchengladbach registered a surprise 3-1 win away to VfL Wolfsburg thanks to goals from Joris Van Hout, Arie van Lent and Joonas Kolkka. Stefan Schnoor scored for Wolfsburg.
Also Saturday, Razundara Tjikuzu scored his first ever Bundesliga goal to give Hansa Rostock a precious 1-0 away win at Schalke 04.
Sunday's games see Kaiserslautern welcome Hertha Berlin and SC Freiburg at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
