Schalke's 2-0 defeat at neighbours Borussia Dortmund, after Swiss striker Alexander Frei slotted home on 44 minutes before Polish striker Euzebiusz Smolarek scored five minutes from time, put Stuttgart top.

But Stuttgart's 3-2 win at VfL Bochum was hard fought as they fell behind to an early goal when Bochum midfielder Oliver Schroeder took a neat pass from Bundesliga top-scorer Theofanis Gekas to put the home side 1-0 up.

German international midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger got Stuttgart level after 20 minutes but Bochum defender Marcel Maltritz put the hosts 2-1 up three minutes before the break.

Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez, back after a knee injury, pulled off a spectacular diving header to make it 2-2 before Brazilian striker Cacau crashed in a left-footed shot on 73 minutes.

Stuttgart have goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand to thank for a stunning save from point-blank range in the dying seconds to protect the lead which puts them two points clear of second-placed Schalke with one game left.

Werder Bremen are now out of the title race after they went down 2-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, which leaves them a unreachable four points behind Stuttgart.

Frankfurt's Greek international defender Ioannis Amanatidis gave Eintracht a 13th minute lead.

Bremen's striker Aaron Hunt equalised for the hosts on 34 minutes, only for Brazilian defender Naldo to turn the ball into his own net on 69 minutes.

Although they are just playing for pride this season having missed out on a Champions League spot next season, fourth-placed Bayern Munich took a 3-0 win at Energie Cottbus thanks to two goals in three minutes.

Dutch striker Roy Makaay cooly slotted his goal past Cottbus's Bosnian keeper Tomislav Piplica for the opening goal after 32 minutes before Belgian defender Daniel van Buyten thundered is his shot from 20 metres out.

And Bayern striker Roque Santa Cruz bagged a third in the 61st minute.

Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart put mid-table Hamburg 1-0 up at Nuremberg with a well-struck free-kick on 39 minutes and midfielder David Jarolim scored just before the break as it finished 2-0.

Both Mainz 05 and Alemannia Aachen are now virtually sure of relegation after Saturday's results.