VfL Wolfsburg needed a late goal from midfielder Sascha Riether to win 2-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach yesterday and protect a three-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga with seven games left.

Bayern Munich, desperately needing to bounce back from their midweek 4-0 defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League, crushed Eintracht Frankfurt by the same score to move into second place on 51 points.

The champions are level on points with third-placed Hamburg SV, who play VfB Stuttgart today.

Hertha Berlin lost further ground in the title hunt with their third defeat in a row when they were stung 2-0 by hosts Hanover 96 to drop to fourth on 49 points. Hertha had striker Andriy Voronin sent off for a foul a minute from time.

Newcomers Hoffenheim, in sixth place, had another miserable afternoon when they were hammered 3-0 at home by VfL Bochum thanks to a Stanislav Sestak hat-trick.

Wolfsburg looked to be cruising to victory after Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko put them in the lead after 20 minutes with his 16th goal of the season, a header from six metres.

They were punished, though, for their defensive play when Dante levelled with a header from a Marko Marin free-kick in the 79th minute before Riether scored from close-range five minutes from time to hand Felix Magath's team their ninth consecutive win.

Bayern were looking to make amends for their demolition in Spain and quickly went in front after three minutes with Franck Ribery picking up a Luca Toni flick to score from the edge of the box.

The Frenchman returned the favour 14 minutes later with a chipped free-kick into the path of the Italian striker, who volleyed home from 10 metres.

Defender Lucio, back from injury after missing the Barcelona game, grabbed a third just before half-time with a header and Bastian Schweinsteiger completed the rout with an easy tap-in.