Bayer Leverkusen stretched their unbeaten run with an emphatic win as Bayern were frustrated by Cologne.
Wins for Bayer, Hannover and Mainz as Bayern and Wolfsburg draw
Bayer Leverkusen stretched their unbeaten run with an emphatic win over struggling Nurnberg as Bayern Munich were frustrated by Cologne.
Hannover crushed Freiburg at home, Mainz's early blitz saw off Hoffenheim, but champions Wolfsburg were held at Bochum.
A convincing 4-0 home win over
Nurnberg extended
Bayer's unbeaten start to the campaign to eight games and lifted them briefly to the top of the table.
The hosts were in front after just a minute through a free-kick from Toni Kroos, who was then brought down in the box on 27 minutes for Simon Rolfes to score from the penalty spot.
The lead was further extended before half-time when Eren Derdiyok pounced on the loose ball after Stefan Kiessling's shot had been blocked.
Kiessling added his name to the scoresheet on 68 minutes when he swept home after Manuel Friedrich had nodded down a free-kick.
Bayern have slipped eight points behind the leaders after being held to a 0-0 draw at the Allianz Arena by lowly
Cologne.
Bastian Schweinsteiger was twice denied by the crossbar in the first half, with headers from crosses by Jose Ernesto Sosa and Edson Braafheid coming back off the woodwork.
Wolfsburg drew for the first time this season as Edin Dzeko's goal secured a 1-1 stalemate away to
Bochum.
Vahid Hashemian headed home Christian Fuchs' free-kick to give Bochum a 53rd minute lead before the hosts had Shinji Ono sent off 10 minutes later for a second yellow card.
The title holders took advantage to equalise inside the final 20 minutes when Dzeko, who scored against Manchester United in midweek, nodded home Karim Ziani's cross.
Hannover claimed just a second Bundesliga victory of the campaign after an entertaining 5-2 success at home to
Freiburg.
The visitors' Mohamadou Idrissou had already hit the crossbar by the time Hannover took the lead on seven minutes through Sofian Chahed.
Arnold Bruggink doubled the advantage on 10 minutes before Freiburg pulled a goal back on 35 minutes when Ivica Banovic headed home Felix Bastians' cross.
Karim Haggui made it 3-1 in first-half stoppage time when he rose well to head home a cross from Hanno Balitsch.
Freiburg's Tommy Bechmann was denied by the post on 72 minutes before the visitors gave themselves hope when Julian Schuster headed home Heiko Butscher's cross with eight minutes to go.
However, Hannover scored a fourth on 85 minutes through Didier Ya Konan, who then set up Sergio Pinto to net the fifth in injury-time.
Mainz are enjoying a positive season and scored twice inside the opening 11 minutes to secure a 2-1 triumph at home to
Hoffenheim.
Andreas Ivanschitz finished off Zsolt Low's cross after just six minutes and Aristide Bance's header made it 2-0 in the 11th minute.
Hoffenheim grabbed a consolation with three minutes to go when Andreas Ibertsberger turned home Marco Terrazzino's corner.
Borussia Dortmund gained an important win on their travels after a 1-0 success at
Borussia Monchengladbach.
The only goal came in the 38th minute when Tiago set up Lucas Barrios to fire home.
