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Bundesliga race open

sp/gb, DPA/ReutersMay 9, 2009

Mario Gomez scored all four goals to take VfB Stuttgart to a stunning 4-1 victory over Bundesliga leaders VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. Defending champions Bayern Munich won 3-1 against Energie Cottbus.

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Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez
Mario Gomez was the undisputed star of the dayImage: picture-alliance/ dpa

Gomez proved unstoppable after his first goal just 29 seconds into the game -- the fastest goal of the season -- when he headed in a cross from Roberto Hilbert.

The Germany striker added his second from close range in the 20th minute, with Wolfsburg's defense in disarray.

Wolfsburg hit back before halftime with Edin Dzeko netting his 20th goal of the season.

But Gomez gave Wolfsburg no chance to come back when he fired in a left-foot shot from 14 meters out in the 63rd minute on a Sami Khedira pass before ending his spectacular performance with another header after 77 minutes.

"I suppose the whole week everybody will be talking about me, so I am glad our next game is on Wednesday (at Schalke)," Gomez said. "We now have to win our games and see if we can achieve the maximum. But, we shouldn't think that just because we have now beaten the leaders, the rest will now come automatically."

It was a second successive away defeat for Wolfsburg, who lost 2-0 in Cottbus two weeks ago, and comes three days after coach Felix Magath confirmed he would be leaving for Schalke at the end of the season.

"We have lost our advantage, but we are still first," Magath said. "I think we can still be champions. From three games, we have two at home, and it's important that on Tuesday we find our home rhythm against Dortmund."

Bayern wins against Cottbus

Defending champions Bayern drew level on points with Wolfsburg after a 3-1 win against relegation-threatened Energie Cottbus.

Jose Ernesto, Martin Demichelis and Lukas Podolski scored for Bayern.

Hertha Berlin, meanwhile, kept alive their hopes of a first Bundesliga title with a 2-0 win over visiting Bochum.

With three matches remaining, Wolfsburg and Bayern have 60 points, Hertha is on 59 and Stuttgart has 58.

SV Hamburg could move level with Stuttgart, if they win in Bremen on Sunday.

Elsewhere around the league, Hoffenheim ended a 12-game losing streak by defeating Cologne 2-0 thanks to goals after the break from Sejad Salihovic and Demba Ba, while Hanover and Eintracht Frankfurt finished 1-1.

Bayer Leverkusen and Arminia Bielefeld drew 2-2 on Friday.

In Sunday's other game, struggling Borussia Moenchengladbach plays at home against Schalke.