Dzeko keep Wolfsburg on course for a first-ever title (Roundup)

By DB Peters May 2, 2009, 16:08 GMT

Hamburg - An Edin Dzeko hat-trick on Saturday kept VfL Wolfsburg on course for a first-ever Bundesliga title as they beat Hoffenheim 4-0.

Dzeko's three goals, which were all scored in the second half, took his personal tally to 19, just four behind team-mate Grafite, who scored his side's fourth a minute from the end from the penalty spot.

With just four matches to go, the team from northern Germany have a three point lead over Bayern Munich, whose new coach Jupp Heynckes got his second stint in charge of the former Champions League winners off to a winning start with a 2-1 victory against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Wolfsburg have 60 points, while Bayern are on 57. Hertha Berlin, who are currently fourth in the standings, could close the gap on Wolfsburg on Sunday.

The team from the capital are on 55 points, but face a difficult away trip to SV Hamburg, who are just a point behind in fifth place.

Wolfsburg looked far from convincing in the first half against the free-falling Hoffenheim side, who topped the table at the winter break, but an improved performance in the second half saw them run out convincing victors.

Dzeko opened the scoring in the 65th minute after a Hoffenheim player lost the ball in midfield. The Bosnian added another in the 74th minute after being set up by Grafite, who again was the provider four minutes later as Dzeko scored his third.

The Brazilian was rewarded for his efforts a minute from the time after German international Andreas Beck brought down Marcel Schaefer in the area. The defender was sent off after receiving a second booking and Grafite made no mistake from the spot.

Dzeko said that the team was still not talking of the championship. 'We are looking at each match as it comes. This week we are going to Stuttgart and that will be a very tough game for us.'

Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath said that his side had started nervously. 'Leading the table the players were a bit nervous and they did not do as well as I would have liked them to.

'But in the second half we were as good as we can be and I now think that we are favourites for the title. We still have two matches at home and we just want to win as many games as we can.'

In Munich, Bayern took the lead in the 33rd minute through Bastian Schweinsteiger, but just five minutes later the visitors drew level when Filip Daems converted a penalty.

Three minutes from the break Hamit Altintop scored the winner for Bayern, who earlier in the week fired coach Juergen Klinsmann and replaced him with Heynckes.

The coach, who will only be in charge of the side for the remainder of the season, said that his side did not do well in the second half. 'We played better in the first half, even though we created more chances in the second half. We should have scored more goals though.'

Another of the title challengers, VfB Stuttgart, lost some ground as they were held to a 2-2 draw at struggling Arminia Bielefeld. They remain third in the table on 55 points.

Stuttgart took the lead just four minutes into the game through Matthieu Delpierre, but Zambian international Chris Katongo equalized on the half hour.

Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger gave the visitors the lead in the 35th minute with a shot from well outside the area.

Hitzlsperger said that a draw was not enough. 'We wanted three points and needed them if we want to challenge at the top. We now have to secure three points next week at home against Wolfsburg.'

In the second half Bielefeld pushed forward in search of an equalizer and found it in the 68th minute when substitute Vlad Munteanu converted a penalty with his first kick of the day.

In other matches Schalke's hopes of qualifying for the Europa Cup received a setback as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Bayer Leverkusen, while Karlsruhe missed out on an opportunity of improving their chances of avoiding relegation, as they were held to a goalless draw by fellow strugglers Energie Cottbus.

Borussia Dortmund won 2-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt.

On Friday Hanover 96 virtually guaranteed themselves a place in the Bundesliga next season as they won 2-0 at VfL Bochum.