Football: Hertha keep Bundesliga lead as Bayern crash

Bayern led twice from their Brazilian strikers Giovane Elber (34th) and Paulo Sergio (59th). But Andreas Moeller (58th), Gerald Asamoah (68th) and Ebbe Sand (71st) lifted Schalke to only their second home win in the last five meetings with the champions.

Hertha, who lost 2-0 in Dortmund the previous night, remained on top with 24 points going into next weekend's game with Schalke.

Bayern have 22 and so do Bayer Leverkusen after a 1-0 win in Freiburg in what was the last match of caretaker Rudi Voeller before new helmsman Berti Vogts takes over. Schalke are fourth with 21, while Kaiserslautern (20) can move into second place Sunday if they win a Frankfurt.

In other action Saturday, promoted Cologne defeated European Champions League drop-outs SV Hamburg 4-2, 1860 Munich drew 2-2 with VfL Wolfsburg and Hansa Rostock and Unterhaching also produced two goals apiece.

Schalke had the better start against Munich's star-ensemble, but failed to create serious danger with Oliver Kahn on his guard against Nico van Hoogdalem in the 14th.

Bayern kept their cool as Elber first aimed inches off target in the 31st and a minute later slotted home Stefan Effenberg's long freekick at the far left post for a 1-0 lead.

Andreas Moeller, who had caused a huge controversy by moving to Schalke from arch-rivals Dortmund, delighted the 61,000 fans with a fine solo-effort past Willy Sagnol and Jens Jeremies for a left-footed equalizer in the 58th.

Schalke's joy did not even last 60 seconds as Sergio fired the equalizer off Michael Tarnat's cross, but the early season leaders Schalke were unimpressed.

Kahn made a splendid save against Ebbe Sand in the 68th, but the ball fell to Belgian star Emile Mpenza who fed Gerald Asamoah for an easy 2-2 header.

Three minutes later Mpenza chased down another ball and this time his accurate cross reached the Dane Sand, who nodded home his eighth goal of the season for a stunning 3-2 win. It could have even been 4-2 had not Mpenza fired against the crossbar with two minutes left.

"Schalke deserved to win because they were the better team in the second half," said Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Voeller completed his unbeaten Bundesliga record in four games as coach Saturday in Freiburg during which the team conceded no goal.

Michael Ballack was narrowly off target with an early freekick before Carsten Ramelow fired the winner in the 63rd on the rebound of Oliver Neuville's shot against the post.

(dpa)