Three-star Robben strikes as Bayern draw level

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BERLIN, Feb 6, 2010 (AFP) - Bayern Munich drew level on points with Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday with a 3-0 win over VfL Wolfsburg as Dutch winger Arjen Robben scored his third goal in consecutive games.

With Bayer drawing 1-1 with Bochum, Bayern's eighth straight league win leaves Louis van Gaal's side level with Leverkusen on 45 points and second only on goal difference.

Since joining Bayern from Real Madrid last August, Robben has now scored seven goals in 13 league games and with French playmaker Franck Ribery recovering from injury, the Dutchman is in top-class form.

"We began very well, but after taking a 2-0 lead we lost our concentration too easily," said van Gaal.

"That was unfortunate - we gave Wolfsburg too many chances to score, but the result was of course very good for us."

Bayern got off to the ideal start when Robben, wearing red leggings after breaking Bundesliga rules in previous weeks by wearing grey ones, curled in his shot after two minutes as the Dutchman netted for the third week running.

Munich defender Daniel van Buyten, who turns 32 on Sunday, scored his sixth league goal of the season - his second in successive games - with a header on 26 minutes to put Bayern in control against the defending champions.

Bayern extended their league when Wolfsburg defender Andrea Barzagli found his own net on 57 minutes.

And to add insult to injury striker Grafite had his penalty saved by Bayern goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt on 66 minutes, but the Brazilian finally netted with time running out to leave his side 12th.

As Wolfsburg's coach Lorenz Guenther Koestner, in charge since Armin Veh was sacked two weeks ago, admitted: "Bayern's superiority caused my team a great deal of pain."

A second-half equaliser cost Leverkusen three points as they drew 1-1 at Bochum as the guests took the lead on the stroke of half-time when striker Eren Derdiyok fired home on 45 minutes.

But Bochum hit back with a goal after a dream pass from ex-Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby on 68 minutes found striker Zlatko Dedic who coolly beat Leverkusen's Germany goalkeeper Rene Adler.

On Saturday night, Stuttgart beat second-from-bottom Nuremberg 2-1 to go eighth in the table with midfielder Roberto Hilbert hitting the 87th-minute winner.

Since succeeding Markus Babbel as Stuttgart coach in December, ex-Spurs boss Christian Gross has gone seven league games - eight in all competitions - without defeat and this was his fifth consecutive league win.

His side play Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League later this month.

Cologne are up to 11th after drawing 3-3 with Hamburg as Germany defender Marcell Jansen opened the scoring for Hamburg with a goal after just two minutes before Cologne's defender Youssef Mohamad equalised on 31 minutes.

Hamburg striker Mladen Petric put his side back into the lead when he lifted the ball over Cologne goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon on 36 minutes then drilled home a penalty for handball on 50 minutes before Cologne fought back.

First Milivoje Novakovic netted a direct free-kick then midfielder Adil Chihi equalised on 88 minutes.

The draw leaves Hamburg fourth in the table, nine points behind leaders Leverkusen, but Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy made his eagerly awaited debut when he played the last minute for Petric.

Hoffenheim are seventh after their 2-1 win over Hanover, while Freiburg drew 0-0 with Schalke to leave the Royal Blues third.

German Cup champions Werder Bremen ended their long wait for victory in the Bundesliga on Friday thanks to a 2-1 win over strugglers Hertha Berlin.

Mid-table Mainz host Moenchengladbach and Dortmund are home to Frankfurt on Sunday.