German Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich have moved closer to their 21st title after they beat Stuttgart 4-1 on Sunday, while Leverkusen secured a lucky 2-2 draw thanks to an own goal from Wolfsburg.
The home victory left Bayern 12 points lead in the Bundesliga with only one point required from their last four games to secure the top title.
Bayern had a dream start in front of 69,000 in the sold out Allianz Arena when Luca Toni opened the scoring with his 21st of the season after just eight minutes.
Antonio da Silva from defending champion Stuttgart equalized nine minutes later before Mark van Bommel fired in a superb low shot that curled around the wall off an indirect free-kick in the 55th minute.
In the second half, Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld decided to send French star Franck Ribery on in the 57th minute and the French playmaker scored twice within two minutes.
Ribery blasted an unstoppable 25-meter thunderbolt into the top-right corner in the 75th minute and then beat two Stuttgart defenders before firing in a crisp shot with his weaker left foot.
"I'm glad I rested Ribery, he was hugely motivated when he came in off the bench," said Hitzfeld after the match.
Apart from Ribery, Hitzfeld had rested four other first-team players ahead of a semi-final second leg UEFA Cup match on Thursday at Zenit St. Petersburg.
Hitzfeld made it clear that reaching the UEFA Cup final was the top priority with the Bundesliga title all but wrapped up.
Bayern, who drew 1-1 at home with Zenit St Petersburg last week, lead the Bundesliga table with 66 points, or 12 points in the lead. They won the German Cup last Saturday.
In another match on Sunday, an own goal from Ricardo Costa 17 minutes from time to hand Bayer Leverkusen a point in the 2-2 draw.
Leverkusen have picked up only four points from their last six matches, however. The "Wolves", with just one point from three matches, stay seventh.
Edin Dzeko had opened the scoring for Wolfsburg after 13 minutes when he followed up Grafite's effort that hit the post.
Bayer equalized through Theofanis Gekas in the 33rd minute, but Makoto Hasebe restored VfL's lead ten minutes later, again after good work from Grafite.
Josue cleared off his line from Sergej Barbarez's header before Costa put through his own net.
Bayer created several opportunities in a frantic finale, but VfL keeper Diego Benaglio kept the hosts at bay.
Source: Xinhua
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