Borussia Dortmund edged a step closer to retaining their title with success over Schalke as Bayern drew and Augsburg snatched a vital win.
Dortmund win derby as Augsburg and Hamburg secure key wins
Borussia Dortmund edged a step closer to retaining their title with a derby success over Schalke as Bayern Munich drew and Augsburg snatched a vital away win in the fight for survival.
Hamburg pulled further clear of trouble, struggling Hertha Berlin were involved in a six-goal thriller and Kaiserslautern were plunged another game nearer to relegation.
Sebastian Kehl scored a second-half winner as leaders and reigning Bundesliga champions
Borussia Dortmund came from behind to win 2-1 at third-placed
Schalke.
Jefferson Farfan had given Schalke a ninth-minute lead, but Dortmund were level eight minutes later through Lukasz Piszczek.
The decisive goal arrived on 63 minutes through Kehl to ensure Dortmund are now eights points clear at the summit with three games to play.
Dortmund's advantage was extended after nearest pursuers
Bayern Munich were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at home by
Mainz.
The closest that Bayern came to scoring a winner was just before half-time when Anatoliy Tymoshchuk struck the post.
Hertha Berlin remain second bottom in the table following a thrilling 3-3 draw at
Bayer Leverkusen, who nicked a point through Stefan Kiessling's late equaliser.
Leverkusen appeared to be cruising towards the points when Andre Schurrle scored just before half-time and Kiessling increased the lead on 51 minutes.
Substitute Pierre-Michel Lasogga pulled a goal back for Hertha on 63 minutes, but the visitors were reduced to 10 men just two minutes later when Levan Kobiashvili was dismissed.
However, Simon Rolfes missed the resultant penalty for Leverkusen and another substitute - Tunay Torun - drew Hertha level on 71 minutes.
Torun fired the away side in front six minutes later, only for Hertha to be denied a crucial victory when Kiessling pounced with six minutes to go.
Augsburg, though, did sneak a priceless win in their fight to avoid the drop after Sebastian Langkamp scored an 88th minute winner at
Wolfsburg.
Thorsten Ohrl had given Augsburg a 13th minute lead, only for Patrick Helmes to draw Wolfsburg level on 27 minutes.
Mario Mandzukic hit the post for Wolfsburg just past the hour mark and Langkamp made the hosts pay with two minutes left.
Hamburg also put further daylight between themselves and the relegation places after Son Heung-min's 12th minute goal was enough to earn a 1-0 home success over
Hannover.
Kaiserslautern continue to stare relegation in the face after going down to a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of mid-table
Nurnberg.
Timothy Chandler fired an early warning for Nurnberg when hitting the bar after nine minutes and Daniel Didavi eventually made the breakthrough two minutes before half-time.
Tomas Pekhart doubled the lead on 73 minutes and Nurnberg were denied by the woodwork again when Hanno Balitsch struck the bar on 83 minutes.
