Klose leads Bayern to 3-1 win over Dortmund

Striker Miroslav Klose struck twice in the final minutes to hand Bayern Munich a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund yesterday.

Klose scored from close range after a bad clearance from Dortmund's Felipe Santana in the 87th minute and tapped in a low Franck Ribery cross in stoppage time, helping the champions go second with 38 points.

The visitors took the lead with a well-struck Nelson Valdez goal after only two minutes but Bayern levelled through Ze Roberto in the 24th.

Hoffenheim still lead the title race on 39 points despite their 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

Dortmund struck early on when Valdez picked up a well-timed Tamas Hajnal pass, swept past slipping Bayern defender Martin Demichelis and curled the ball from the edge of the box past keeper Michael Rensing.

Bayern quickly recovered, unleashing a string of attacks onto a shaky Dortmund defence with Klose often too quick for his marker Neven Subotic.

Klose came agonisingly close in the 17th when he headed Ribery's cross from six metres only to see keeper Roman Weidenfeller make a spectacular save.

The champions needed the clinical finish of Klose late on to break down Dortmund's resistance.

The German international pounced on Santana's bad header, slotting home three minutes from time and was again well placed inside the box to net from Ribery's accurate cross from the left.

In the other match of the day Energie Cottbus climbed to 15th with a 3-1 win over Hanover.