Ribery helps Bayern to bounce back

MUNICH, Germany -- Bayern Munich registered a first win in four matches to remain one point clear at the top of the German league, beating VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 at home on Saturday.

Bayern bounced back from the 3-1 defeat at VfB Stuttgart a fortnight ago before the international break to stay ahead of second-placed Werder Bremen, who won 2-0 against bottom side Energie Cottbus.

France international Franck Ribery, whose country qualified for the finals of Euro 2008 despite drawing 2-2 away to the Ukraine on Wednesday, was Bayern's inspiration at the Allianz Arena.

The 24-year-old set up striker Miroslav Klose's ninth goal in the Bundesliga this season after robbing a Wolfsburg defender in the 35th minute.

And he put Bayern 2-0 ahead in the 50th minute before Germany Under-21 international Ashkan Dejagah pulled one back for the visitors with 18 minutes remaining.

The defeat spoiled the return of Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath to Munich, with the former Germany international having been sacked by Bayern in January.

Bremen made short work of Cottbus despite starting the match without record signing Carlos Alberto and striker Boubacar Sanogo, who were suspended by the club after a training-ground brawl on Thursday.

Brazilian midfielder Diego scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute, while Colombia striker John Jairo Mosquera added the second with seven minutes left to play.

Bremen had welcomed back Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic, who played his first game for nearly a year following a kidney transplant.

Schalke moved up to sixth place with a 3-2 victory at Hanover as striker Kevin Kuranyi scored in the 41st and 50th minutes then set up the winner for fellow forward Halil Altintop just after an hour.

Hungarian midfielder Szabolcs Huszti had put the home side ahead from the penalty spot in the 17th minute, and then leveled the score at 2-2 in the 53rd.

Bayer Leverkusen crushed Duisberg 4-0 to move to within two points of fourth-placed Karlsruhe, who beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 on Friday.

Defending champions Stuttgart are level on points with Schalke after a 4-1 victory at Eintrach Frankfurt.

Benjamin Koehler put the home side ahead in the 41st minute but Roberto Hilbert and Romania striker Ciprian Marica netted either side of half-time, the Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger made it 3-0 in the 57th minute and Brazilian striker Cacau sealed it in injury-time.

VfL Bochum beat Arminia Bielefeld 3-0 at home, with Polish striker Marcin Mieciel scoring in the 12th and 15th minutes and Christoph Dabrowski adding another goal 10 minutes after half-time.

On Sunday, third-placed Hamburg host Hansa Rostock and Borussia Dortmund travel to lowly Nuremberg. E-mail to a friend