BERLIN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Bayern Munich defeated Bremen 3-2 on Saturday thanks to a brilliant dead ball goal by Arjen Robben to grab the top of Bundesliga while powerhouse Schalke gave away a two goals lead against Bochum.
In a thrilling match Munich started with good scoring chances. Three minutes after kickoff, Munich midfielder Arjen Robben missed the target and hit the right post from 15 meter. It was Bremen who opened the scoring with their first chance. Bremen midfielder Marko Marin passed the ball inside the box to the left for striker Aaron Hunt to net home from close range.
Bayern remained active and motivated. With 25 minutes on the clock, Bayern midfielder Sebastian Schweinsteiger assisted youngster striker Thomas Mueller to level the score with a shot into bottom right corner.
Bayern piled on the pressure and took the lead at the 35th minute as Bayern defender Phillip Lahm crossed the ball from the right wing to the far post to see striker Ivica Olic poke the ball home.
After break at the 68th minute, Bayern star Frank Ribery was fielded after a long injury. With 75 minutes played, Bremen striker Hugo Almeida marked the equalizer with a brilliant turn shot from left side of the box.
Only two minutes later Bayern defender Daniel van Buyten missed the target from very close range. Arjen Robben cut a better figure at the 78th minute. Robben scored with a terrific free kick from the right wing into the top right corner. Bremen tried to turn around, but they were unlucky at the finish.
Bayern, for now, jumped from third to first position with 39 points, one point ahead of Bayer Leverkusen who will play on Sunday against Hoffenheim. Bremen remains in sixth position.
From the start, second-positioned team Schalke took over the control against Bochum. Only five minutes after kickoff, Schalke striker Vincente Sanches slotted home from inside the box to the center of the goal from close range.
Bochum remained unimaginative and harmless so that Schalke doubled the lead three minutes before interval. Striker Jefferson Farfan sent the ball into the box to forward Kevin Kuranyi who straddled the ball home from goal area.
After the break, Schalke tried to protect the lead to final whistle. Bochum striker Vahid Hashemian shorthand the score at the 82nd minute by header. In the dying minutes of the game, Bochum punished Schalke for their abstinence. Bochum striker Stanislav Sestak nodded home Hashemian's cross to equalize the score.
The draw cost Schalke the second place, sliding to third position. Bochum remained on 13th position.
Bundesliga fourth placed Hamburg lost 0-1 to fifth Dortmund. Dortmund Striker Nelson Valdez marked the only goal of the match at the 36th minute from 17 meter into top left corner after Hamburg defense unit failed to clear the ball properly. Dortmund defense made it impossible for Hamburg to turn the tide.
Dortmund climbed from fifth to fourth position while Hamburg slipped from fourth to fifth position.
Elsewhere, Hannover lost 0-1 to Mainz under new coach Mirko Slomka who replaced Andreas Bergmann last week due to poor performances. The victory moved Mainz from 10th to eighth position. Hannover remained in relegation zone on 16th position.
An average match among relegation threatened Nuremberg and Frankfurt ended with 1-1 draw. Frankfurt remained in seventh and Nuremberg 17th in the Bundesliga.
Bottom team Berlin shared a point with Gladbach after a goalless match.
Struggling Stuttgart defeated new boys Freiburg 1-0 on Friday to jump from 12th to 11th position. Freiburg remained in 15th.
On Sunday, defending champion Wolfsburg will host Cologne while Hoffenheim face undefeated Leverkusen.