Hoffenheim stumble to Wolves in pursuit of leaders Bayern

BERLIN: Hoffenheim stumbled to a 2-1 defeat at Wolfsburg as all five clubs chasing Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga lost over the weekend.

Daniel Didavi came off the bench after the break to inspire Wolfsburg’s second-half fight back as Hoffenheim suffered only their second defeat this season.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern were the only club in the league’s top six to win this weekend after Arturo Vidal and Arjen Robben scored last-minute goals in Saturday’s 2-0 win at strugglers Ingolstadt.

They now have a seven-point lead at the top.

Hosts Wolfsburg deserved to beat Hoffenheim and break their threematch losing streak to stay 14th, now six points from the relegation places.

Hoffenheim made a bright start at the Volkswagen Arena after Kerem Demirbay hit the crossbar with an early free-kick, then set up Steven Zuber to give them a deserved lead on 26 minutes.

But Wolfsburg roared back with two second-half goals and Germany striker Mario Gomez was only denied a third when goal-line technology showed the ball had not crossed the line.

Maximilian Arnold latched onto the end of a wayward clearance kick and hammered his shot home on 50 minutes to pull the scores level.

Then Didavi produced a closerange header on 73 minutes for the winner.

Hoffenheim stay fifth as the latest to stumble in the pack chasing Bayern.

Promoted Freiburg enjoyed their seventh win at home, leaving them just three points behind seventh-placed Cologne.

Vincenzo Grifo put the home side ahead after a half-hour when his shot crashed down off the crossbar and back out of goal before Florian Niederlechner made sure.

Replays showed Grifo’s initial strike crossed the line.

Anthony Modeste equalised with his 16th goal of the season seven minutes later.

But Grifo proved decisive again, with Maximilian Philipp grabbing the winner on a rebound with just over 10 minutes remaining. — Agencies.