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Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro scored a hat-trick to steer Werder Bremen to a 4-1 win over Hanover 96.

Brazilian Diego added the other and missed a penalty after the visitors had levelled with a Jacek Krzynowek solo goal midway through the second half. Werder remain in 10th place on 35 points.

Pizarro was lucky to give the hosts the lead four minutes before halftime when his shot from 20 metres was deflected and flew over Hanover keeper Robert Enke.

Enke showed some of the skills that have made him first choice for Germany when he saved Diego's 61st-minute penalty.

The visitors seemed to turn the match when they equalised eight minutes later through Krzynowek, who dribbled past two defenders to calmly slot past Werder keeper Tim Wiese.

But in seven frantic minutes Werder struck three times with Diego first making amends for the missed penalty with a low close-range drive in the 77th, before Pizarro added another from two metres, three minutes later.

The Peruvian, on loan from Chelsea, scored his third six minutes from time when he chested down a Mesut Ozil cross from the left to fire home from about eight metres, taking his tally for the season to 15.

"We made our life difficult because we could have ended it with the penalty. We made it difficult and needed a bit longer," Werder coach Thomas Schaaf said.

Seventh-placed Bayer Leverkusen also got full points with a 2-0 win at Cologne. Bayer, who still hope to qualify for European football next season, scored through Stefan Kiessling and Patrick Helmes with a penalty.

Borussia Moenchengladbach and last-placed Karlsruhe shared the points in a 0-0 draw.

Wolfsburg climbed to the top of the table with 51 points on Saturday after an impressive 5-1 demolition of champions Bayern Munich, who dropped to fourth on 48 points.

Hamburg edged past Hoffenheim 1-0 to join Wolfsburg on top although with an inferior goal difference. Hertha Berlin dropped to third on 49 points after their 3-1 defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund.

Reuters