Hats off to Hildebrand

VfB Stuttgart keeper Timo Hildebrand broke Oliver Kahn's mark of 802 minutes without conceding a goal to create a new German league record on Saturday.

Tabletoppers Stuttgart drew 0-0 with Cologne, enough for the 24-year-old to create a new mark of 825 minutes without letting a goal in, during an otherwise uneventful match.

Bayern Munich moved into second place a point behind Stuttgart with a 4-1 victory over Hertha Berlin with Michael Ballack and Roy Makaay both scoring.

On Sunday, both Bayer Leverkusen, who host Hansa Rostock, and Werder Bremen, who entertain VfL Wolfsburg, have the chance to gain top spot.

The 2001/02 Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund had their first away success since last December in winning 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Giuseppe Reina found the net in the 10th minute and Matthias Sammer's side are now lurking behind the leading pack in fifth spot, two points behind Stuttgart.

Stuttgart coach Felix Magath will not have been happy with the point dropped against Cologne however as team formed dipped following their high in beating Manchester United 2-1 in midweek Champions League action.

Stuttgart dominated Cologne but their strikers, particularly the young German international Kevin Kuranyi, proved ineffective in front of goal.

Bayern had no such problems hitting the back of the net.

Makaay got the ball rolling in the 22nd minute. He made no mistake from near the penalty spot after Hasan Salihamidzic had beaten Michael Hartmann on the right and pulled the ball back from the bi-line.

Ballack hit the second in first half injury time when Hungarian keeper Gabor Kiraly could only parry his initial header and Bayern's number 13 made sure with his second attempt.

Bastian Schweinsteiger hit their third in the 58th minute though Niko Kovac pulled a goal back for Hertha midway through the half.

Then, with two minutes to go, Martin Demichelis sent Salihamidzic clear on the right wing and the Bosnian darted into the penalty area and left Kiraly no chance with a right-foot shot from 10 yards for Bayern's fourth.

Kaiserslautern, coached by former Belgian international Eric Gerets, had a resounding 4-0 victory over sixth-placed VfL Bochum, who were playing with 10 men after Bulgarian international striker Marian Hristov was sent off in the 30th minute for his second yellow card.

In other matches, Hannover 96 lost 2-1 at home to Schalke 04, SC Freiburg beat Bayern's neighbours 1860 Munich 1-0, and SV Hamburg beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1.