Bayer Leverkusen rejoined the hunt for the Bundesliga title thanks to a 4-2 victory over Hamburg.
Kiessling at the double as Hamburg are defeated
Stefan Kiessling fired a brace as Bayer Leverkusen rejoined the hunt for the Bundesliga title with a 4-2 victory over Hamburg.
Bundesliga top scorer Kiessling put Leverkusen ahead in the 22nd minute, but Ze Roberto responded for the northern Germany side in the 33rd minute.
Eren Derdiyok restored the home team's advantage 10 minutes into the second half before Kiessling's second appeared to wrap things up after just more than an hour.
David Rozehnal reduced the arrears in the 83rd minute, but Gonzalo Castro replied immediately to seal a win which takes Leverkusen back to within three points of league leaders Bayern Munich.
Hamburg slip to just one point ahead of Werder Bremen in the race for fifth position and a place in the Europa League next season.
Opener
Kiessling gave Leverkusen the lead in the 22nd minute with his 15th goal of the season.
Tranquillo Barnetta sent the ball long and the Germany international used his pace to hold off the challenges of Joris Mathijsen and Rozehnal before sending in a shot from just outside the penalty area low past Frank Rost.
The lead lasted only 10 minutes before Ze Roberto responded for Hamburg.
Leverkusen goalkeeper Rene Adler and defender Sami Hyypia got in each other's way and the ball fell out for Ze Roberto, who volleyed it in from 20 yards out.
Friedrich came close to heading Leverkusen back ahead in the 54th minute when the crossbar and the post, as well as the offside flag, came to Rost's rescue.
There was nothing the Hamburg goalkeeper could do 60 seconds later when Derdiyok picked his spot with a well-executed header from Daniel Schwaab's lifted ball into the penalty area.
The Swiss striker was able to get both power and direction behind his 16-yard header to beat Rost low to his left.
Finished
And the game was over in the 62nd minute when Kiessling notched his 16th of the season after Renato Augusto got in round the back of the Hamburg defence and crossed the ball for him to have a simple tap-in.
Piotr Trochowski delivered a free-kick to the far post where Rozehnal, on the stretch, still managed to direct his shot past Adler into the far corner.
Gonzalo Castro hit back immediately, though, as he shot high into the roof of Rost's goal from just inside the penalty area less than a minute after Rozehnal had given Hamburg hope.
