Stuttgart are one step closer to the Bundesliga trophy after registering a dramatic victory at Bochum to snatch the top spot from leaders Schalke, who received a shocking defeat at Dortmund. Stuttgart earned a hard-fought 3-2 win at Bochum after coming back twice, while Schalke were stunned 2-0 by Borussia Dortmund at Signal-Iduna-Park. With one match remaining, Stuttgart are on 67 points at the top, with a clear advantage over second-placed Schalke who freeze at 65, while Werder Bremen were kicked out of the race after losing 2-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt. At Bochum, the home side took advantage in the 4th minute with a goal from Oliver Schroder, Thomas Hitzlsperger equalized for Stuttgart on 24 minutes, but Marcel Maltritz restored Bochum's lead three minutes before the break. However, Stuttgart fought back bravely in the second half, as Mario Gomez's 61st minute equalizer was followed ten minutes later by the crucial winner from Cacau.
Stuttgart snatch first spot At Dortmund, Alexander Frei and Ebi Smolarek scored to cause a huge upset for Mirko Slomka's Schalke, and complete Thomas Doll's impressive spell with Dortmund, taking them from 17th to 7th place. Bremen lost any hope of a Bundesliga title after they refused to capitalize on Schalke's stumble, crashing at home to relegation battlers Frankfurt. Iannis Amanatidis opened the scoring for the visitors after 13 minutes, but Aaron Hunt equalized on 34 minutes, before an own goal from Bremen defender Naldo settled the game in the 70th minute and kept Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart will face Energie Cottbus in an apparently winnable game next week, while Schalke will have to beat Arminia Bielefeld at home, hoping for a Stuttgart stumble. Elsewhere, the battle at the bottom is settled, as Mainz and Alemania Aachen accompany Borussia M'gladbach to the Bundesliga 2.
