Bayern Munich moved three points clear at the top with a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich stretched their lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the Olympic StadiumRoy Makaay broke the deadlock right on the stroke of half time when converting from the penalty spot and Jose Guerro Gonzales added a second on 68 minutes to send Bayern three points clear at the top.
Schalke lost ground on Bayern after a 2-2 draw at struggling Hansa Rostock.
Danish international Ebbe Sand gave Schalke the perfect start with the opener after 25 minutes, but Rada Prica drew Hansa level on 65 minutes.
Magnus Arvidsson gave Hansa the lead on 73 minutes, but Ailton's last-gasp goal earned Schalke a point.
Stuttgart missed the chance to close the gap on the top two after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Kaiserslautern.
German international Kevin Kuranyi gave them the lead on 14 minutes and things got worse for Kaiserslautern when Lucien Mettomo was sent off after 58 minutes.
The visitors refused to lie down and drew level two minutes later through Marco Engelhardt.
Hertha Berlin moved into fourth spot with a 3-0 success at Mainz.
Yildiray Basturk gave Hertha the lead on 27 minutes and Andreas Neuendorf doubled the lead on 68 minutes.
Basturk grabbed his second of the day on 73 minutes to wrap up the victory.
Borussia Dortmund eased their troubles with an impressive 3-1 victory at Hannover.
Czech striker Jan Koller fired them in front after just six minutes and two goals from Lars Ricken (30,50) put Dortmund in firm control.
Nebojsa Krupnikovic pulled one back for Hannover from the penalty spot on 73 minutes, but it was nothing more than a consolation for the hosts.
Hamburg climbed up to seventh with a 3-1 win at Nurnberg.
Naohiro Takahara put Hamburg in control with a brace (30, 53), but Robert Vittek gave Nurnberg hope with a goal eight minutes from time.
Benjamin Lauth ended the home side's hopes of getting anything from the game with the third for Hamburg in the dying seconds.
Bochum remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Arminia Bielefeld.
Peter Madsen gave them the lead from the penalty spot on 19 minutes, but Delron Buckley earned the visitors a point with an equaliser ten minutes later.
Click on fixture for full match summary
Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen
Nurnberg v Hamburg
FSV Mainz v Hertha Berlin
Hannover v Borussia Dortmund
Hansa Rostock v Schalke
VFL Bochum v Arminia Bielefeld
Stuttgart v Kaiserslautern
