Birthday-boy Arjen Robben netted the decisive goal in this weekend’s top Bundesliga match between Bremen and Bayern Munich. The free-kick, taken from some 20 meters on the far right of the penalty box was whipped in - passing friend and foe in the box - and dipped in time to stroke the underside of the bar and land in the top corner.

picture alliance / Sven Simon

The Bayern winger threw his hands up in celebration and sprinted to the dug-out where Bayern coach Louis van Gaal was involuntarily lying on his back after loosing his footing in celebration. A pile-up ensued and van Gaal was left sucking an injured finger. Not that he minded – Bayern dominated the game, created chances at will and played some mouth-wateringly good football.

Robben’s goal 12 minutes from time sealed the match, sending Bayern top of the league pending Leverkusen’s match on Sunday and left Bremen stranded in sixth position of the league table, with three straight losses in a row to ponder.

The 26 year old Dutchman was the stand-out performer of the match. Time after time his tormenting runs troubled the Bremen defence which, at times, resembled a bunch of headless chickens.

Bremen valiantly clawed the game back to a 2-2 with a fantastic strike from Hugo Almeida but the Bavarians played some scarily good football. Bremen sorely lacked the presence of injured striker Claudio Pizarro and though midfield star Mesut Özil showed signs of true class it wasn’t enough to undo the Bavarian offensive onslaught. Müller and Olic signed on the score sheet for Bayern while Hunt netted for Bremen.

picture alliance / dpa

Leverkusen turn to Kroos

On Sunday deposed league-leaders Leverkusen travelled to the village upstarts from Hoffenheim. A win would put them back in top-spot. A 3-0 victory was what the scoreboard showed after 90 minutes, but the result is deceptive – Leverkusen weren’t that good. The difference between the teams battling it out on the frigid, snowy pitch? Clinical finishing and Toni Kroos.

Under the watchful eyes of Germany coach Joachim Löw, Kroos scored his eighth goal of the season and had a hand in both other goals. His nomination for a trip to South Africa this summer would appear to be a foregone conclusion.

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga

Bochum held Schalke to a 2-2 draw in the ‘kleines Revierderby’ (small Revierderby). Schalke coach Felix Magath was unsurprisingly galled at handing over a 2-0 lead due to some atrocious marking.

Borussia Dortmund are flying high, climbing into fourth position after beating Hamburg 1-0 at home. The team, coached by roguish nutter Klopp battled tooth and nail and won deservedly. Hamburg, having just signed Ruud van Nistelrooy over the weekend, will hope that his goals will inject some esprit into their faltering campaign.

Köln managed a 3-2 away to Wolfsburg without the two “top strikers” Podolski and Novakovic. Wolfsburg coach Veh looks to be in the ejector seat after his team slipped to 10^th place.

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Results

Hoffenheim - Bayer     0:3
Wolfsburg - Köln     2:3
BVB - HSV     1:0
Bochum - Schalke     2:2
Bremen - Bayern     2:3
Hertha - Gladbach     0:0
Mainz - Hannover     1:0
Nürnberg - Frankfurt     1:1
Freiburg - Stuttgart     0:1

Table

1.Bayer Leverkusen 41
2.Bayern München 39
3.Schalke 38
4.Borussia Dortmund 36
5.Hamburger SV 34
6.Werder Bremen 28
7.Eintracht Frankfurt 28
8.Mainz 27
9.Hoffenheim 25
10.VfL Wolfsburg 24
11.VfB Stuttgart 22
12.Borussia M’gladbach 22
13.FC Köln 21
14.VfL Bochum 20
15.SC Freiburg  18
16.Hannover 17
17.Nürnberg 13
18.Berlin 10