Berlin move closer to leaders

With the top three scheduled to play tomorrow and Bayern Munich losing a day earlier, Hertha Berlin made the most of their opportunity and closed the gap to just one point between themselves and the fourth-placed champions.

A 90th-minute strike by substitute Mineiro saw Hertha fight from a goal down to claim a 2-1 victory over bottom place Hamburg.

The northerners once again failed to hold onto a 1-0 lead and a lapse in concentration denied new coach Huub Stevens a dream debut on the HSV bench.

A late equaliser for Energie Cottbus in midweek cost Thomas Doll his job at Hamburg, and his successor Stevens found out straight away what problems he faces at the club.

Bayer Leverkusen meanwhile, failed to make up ground on the leaders after they were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Wolfsburg, who ended their own eight-match winless streak with a fine display at the Volkswagen Arena.

Hannover improved their European qualification chances with a sizzling 4-1 victory at Alemannia Aachen.

In Bielefeld, Jos Luhukay got off to a fine start as Borussia Monchengladbach coach as his team snapped a 13-game winless run with a 2-0 victory at Arminia Bielefeld.

Despite the win, Luhukay’s team remain in the relegation zone but will be confident of survival, while Bielefeld are in 10th place without a win in their last eight outings.

Elsewhere, Energie Cottbus and Bochum continue to hover just above the relegation zone after sharing the points in a goalless draw at the Stadion der Freundschaft.

Another blank scoreline saw Mainz’s battle to beat the drop being dealt a blow after they were held by local rivals Eintracht Frankfurt at the Commerzbank-Arena.

Last night Nurnberg spoiled Ottmar Hitzfeld’s return to the Bayern Munich bench with a 3-0 win at the Franken Stadium.

Tomorrow leaders Werder Bremen clash with Schalke who are level on points while third-placed Stuttgart travel to play Borussia Dortmund.