Buoyant Bremen happy to hammer ´Gladbach

Champions League side Werder Bremen are up to eighth in the Bundesliga table after their 4-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday and are now just a point off the top five.

After a poor start to the season, Bremen have struggled in both the Champions League and Bundesliga, but they enjoyed plenty of luck against ‘Gladbach as they picked up their third win from their last four league games.

Germany winger Marko Marin opened the scoring when he slammed in a direct free-kick on five minutes and then Brazilian midfielder Wesley netted in the 13th minute after the ball took a helping hand from goalkeeper Logan Bailly.

The Belgian was unlucky again when Aaron Hunt’s shot took a deflection off a ‘Gladbach defender and flew into the back of the hosts net on 51 minutes.

Bremen’s luck ran out when Germany defender Per Mertesacker could only watch as the ball struck his foot after goalkeeper Sebastian Mielitz made a save as ‘Gladbach pulled a goal back on 67 minutes.

But Bremen made sure of the three points when Peru striker Claudio Pizarro scored the fourth on 75 minutes.

With leaders Dortmund and second-placed Mainz playing on Sunday, Hanover are up to third in the table after their 2-1 win over Cologne after Ivory Coast striker Didier Ya Konan netted twice.

Freiburg striker Stefan Reisinger scored just four minutes after coming off the bench to score a 60th-minute winner to seal the 2-1 win over Kaiserslautern while Nuremberg beat also enjoyed a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg.

Schalke are up to 15th in the table after their goalless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.

On Sunday, leaders Dortmund are home to Hoffenheim while Mainz are at Leverkusen and bottom side Stuttgart host St Pauli.

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal admitted Friday he was disappointed with the Bundesliga champions goalless draw in Hamburg, but insisted his side ‘gave everything they had’.

Bayern are up to ninth in the table after Friday night’s draw, but remain nine points behind leaders Dortmund who host Hoffenheim on Sunday.

German giants Bayern were seeking a first win in Hamburg for five years but they settled for a point without captain Mark van Bommel, defender Daniel van Buyten, striker Miroslav Klose, plus playmakers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

Hamburg could have taken all three points right at the end of the game when Burkino Faso midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa beat the defence and curved his shot around Bayern goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt, but his effort hit the post.