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Bundesliga: Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund all claim domestic victories

 Team members of Bremen celebrate after the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Weserstadion
Image: Werder Bremen: Risen ten places

Werder Bremen's meteoric rise up the Bundesliga table continued as Sunday’s 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen means they have gone from 18th to eighth in just four games.

Leverkusen found themselves 2-0 down with half an hour gone as hosts Bremen produced some dazzling first-half football at the Weserstadion.

A superb lofted cross from attacking midfielder Fin Bartels allowed Davie Selke to put Bremen ahead with 17 minutes gone, before Zlatko Junuzovic drilled home a stunning free-kick to double Werder's lead before the half-hour mark.

Bayer pulled a goal back when Hakan Calhanoglu headed home after Gonzalo Castro had hit the post just before half-time.

Leverkusen boss Roger Schmidt lost his cool with tough-tackling Bremen and was sent to the stands by referee Peter Sippel on 65 minutes for using offensive language to the fourth official.

Having been bottom of the table just before their last game of 2014, Bremen have shot up the table to eighth under caretaker-coach Viktor Skripnik, while Leverkusen stay sixth.

Dortmund recover

Borussia Dortmund climbed off the bottom with a 3-0 win at Freiburg on Saturday, while leaders Bayern Munich picked up their first win of 2015.

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund celebrates his goal with team-mates during the Bundesliga match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund
Image: Aubameyang celebrates his goal against Freiburg.

German star Marco Reus gave Dortmund an early lead before Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang added two second-half goals.

Dortmund now face mid-table Mainz and strugglers Stuttgart in the league before Italian league leaders Juventus away in the last 16 of the Champions League on February 24.

Both sides remained in the relegation zone after the match, with Dortmund rising to 16th as Freiburg slip to 17th.

Bayern claim first win

Bayern continued their march to a third straight title with a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart, which saw Huub Stevens' side drop to the bottom of the table.

Bayern's win was their first in three matches having been thrashed 4-1 at Wolfsburg just over a week ago.

Arjen Robben scored his second goal in as many games just before half-time break before David Alaba then drilled home a superb free-kick five minutes after the break.

Bayern Munich's players celebrate after match VfB Stuttgart vs FC Bayern Munich in Stuttgart, southern Germany on February 7, 2015.
Image: Bayern Munich's players celebrate Alaba's second at Stuttgart

Bayern stay eight points clear of second-placed Wolfsburg, who gave Germany winger Andre Schurrle his debut after his move from Chelsea in a 3-0 win at home to Hoffenheim.

Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne claimed two goals in an impressive display.

Hertha Berlin bounced back from the sacking of coach Jos Luhukay on Thursday with a slick 2-0 win at 10-man Mainz, a result which lifted them out of the bottom three.

With Hungarian coach Pal Dardai now at the helm, the visitors took the lead when Jens Hegler converted a 35th-minute penalty on 43 minutes before Roy Beerens slotted their second.

Hamburg continued their march up the table to go 11th after their second consecutive victory with a 2-1 win at home to Hanover 96, who are winless in their last four games.

Ragnar Klavan of Augsburg celebrates his team's first goal with team mates during the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt
Image: Augsburg: Surrendered two-goal at Eintracht Frankfurt

Paderborn dropped to just above the relegation spots after their goalless draw at Cologne while Schalke 04 went third on Friday with a 1-0 home win against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Augsburg wasted the chance to move up to third as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ragnar Klavan and Raul Bobadilla put Markus Weinzierl's men in the driving seat, but Stefan Aigner pulled one back on the stroke of half-time.

The Bundesliga's top-scorer Alexander Meier brought the Eagles level midway through the second half and Augsburg could not respond as they had to make do with just a point, leaving them fourth on goal difference behind Schalke.

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