Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose struck to give Bayern Munich a 2-0 win away to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, keeping the champions on the trail of sure-footed leaders Hoffenheim.

While Hoffenheim enjoyed an easy 3-0 win at home to Arminia Bielefeld, Bayern had to work a lot harder to dig out victory over one of their direct rivals with two second-half goals.

A seventh win in nine games was enough to take resurgent Bayern into second place and give them the perfect preparation for a home game against Hoffenheim next Friday.

Hoffenheim, the wealthy village team who are on an even better run with eight wins in nine games, lead with 34 points from 15 matches in their first season in the top flight, followed by Bayern on 31.

Hertha Berlin are third on 30 after their 2-1 win at home to Cologne on Friday, while Leverkusen slip to fourth on 28.

Hoffenheim had their home game against Bielefeld all wrapped up by the 11th minute.

Vedad Ibisevic volleyed in low for the opening goal — his 17th of the season — after Selim Teber’s cross had picked him out in the fifth minute.

Carlos Eduardo made it 2-0 soon …

Cologne have confirmed for the first time that they are going to try and bring unsettled Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski back to the club this winter.

Cologne have made no secret of their desire to re-sign the Germany international, who made a name for himself before joining Bayern two years ago. And the player would like nothing more than to re-join the team from his home town.

However, he has been told by Bayern bosses that he must stay at the club and coach Jurgen Klinsmann confirmed last night that he needed four strikers for the second half of the season and that Podolski “will have to get used to the situation”.

At the same time, Cologne president Wolfgang Overath was telling club members at their Annual General Meeting that they are preparing a bid to sign him.

“We will do everything and that means everything within our means to bring the lad back home,” he revealed. “We have been doing our homework.”

General manager Michael Meier confirmed that talks “have recently been held between Cologne and Bayern and Cologne and Podolski”, setting the wheels in motion on a spectacular winter transfer.

“We are now waiting for a signal,” …

Werder Bremen came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with Cypriot newcomers Anorthosis Famagusta in Champions League Group B on Wednesday but it was not enough to prevent the Germans slipping out.

Werder’s comeback at the end of a frantic second half only succeeded in denting the home side’s hopes of clinching qualification for the last 16 at the first attempt, although they do still have a chance.

As it is, Inter Milan qualified with a game to spare despite losing 1-0 at home to Panathinaikos.

The second berth will be decided when Anorthosis travel to face Panathinaikos on the final evening of matches next month.

For the moment, Panathinaikos are second with seven points, while Anorthosis are third on six and Werder are bottom with four.

It was a cruel finish for Anorthosis, after they had taken control with the first moment of quality in a poor match.

It came in the 62nd minute when Nikos Nikolaou struck first time on the half-volley, low past Werder’s stand-in keeper Christian Vander, as the ball drifted over from a corner.

Brazilian forward Savio added a second in the 68th minute, turning in from close range after a crossfield …

Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has slammed Michael Ballack for reviving a recent row with Germany coach Joachim Low.

The Chelsea midfielder told Germany’s Premiere television that he had “intentionally” gone public with his criticism of Low last month. Although he claims his comments were not meant as a criticism, and were “blown out of proportion” by the German media, he said he had considered his words in a bid to “shake a few people up.”

Ballack was summoned for clear-the-air talks by a furious Low and his future as Germany captain was in doubt until the pair met in Frankfurt and resolved their differences. Beckenbauer believes Ballack is still skating on thin ice and cannot understand why he has decided to go public once again.

“I am speechless,” he said. “I thought the whole issue had been dealt with. It would be terrible if this whole issue turned into a never-ending story.”

That should not be the case, though, since Low has already warned Ballack that his international career will be over if he steps out of line once again. His latest comments have not been treated as criticism.

“Michael has the right to express his opinion,” Low told …

Hamburg SV clinched a 2-1 win at home to Werder Bremen on Sunday thanks to a spectacular strike from Ivica Olic.

Croatia striker Olic let fly from 25 metres, scoring in off the far post to settle a breathless clash between two teams who have struggled for consistency this season.

Victory took Hamburg back up to fifth place with 26 points from 14 games. Werder Bremen, runners-up to Bayern Munich last season, remain down in ninth place with 20 points.

Hoffenheim lead the standings with 31 points after winning 3-1 at Cologne on Saturday. Second-placed Leverkusen, beaten 2-1 at Arminia Bielefeld, and Bayern, 4-1 winners over visiting Energie Cottbus, have 28 points apiece.

Hamburg, who have slipped out of the title race, were outplayed by Werder but never stopped running and nicked the win thanks to a piece of brilliance from Olic in the 74th minute.

“We showed passion and fight,” Hamburg coach Martin Jol told reporters. “Werder were maybe the better team but they didn’t create that many chances.”

Hamburg took an early lead when Paolo Guerrero squeezed in a shot at the near post after Tim Wiese had blocked a Mladen Petric free kick.

Diego’s sweetly struck free …

Hoffenheim surged three points clear with a 3-1 win at Cologne in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while Franck Ribery scored for the sixth league game in succession to help Bayern Munich beat Energie Cottbus 4-1.

Hoffenheim, the village team with multi-millionaire backing, went ahead through Demba Ba and clinched victory as Vedad Ibisevic struck his 15th and 16th goals of the season.

It was enough to take them back to the top ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat away to Arminia Bielefeld.

With 14 games of the Bundesliga season played, and three to go before the long break, Hoffenheim lead with 31 points, followed by Leverkusen on 28.

Bayern are third, also on 28, after French midfielder Ribery sparked a revival at home to Cottbus with a terrific free kick.

The other Bayern goals, on a snowy afternoon in Bavaria, came from Martin Demichelis, Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni.

Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick has dismissed title talk in the club’s first Bundesliga season but if they keep winning tricky matches like this there will be no reason for modesty.

They were short of their flowing best against Cologne, but won an entertaining scrap thanks to superior …

Bayern Munich are set to sign USA international Landon Donovan on a loan deal running from Jan 1 to at least the middle of March and possibly until the end of the season.

The U.S. star will play in the Bundesliga after impressing Juergen Klinsmann.
Donovan, 26, who has made over a century of caps for his country, has been training with Bayern for the last week and a half and has impressed Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann, who was a technical advisor at the Galaxy before he took over as Bayern coach on July 1.

“I’ve had the pleasure to see him throughout the years living in Los Angeles and I’ve always said to friends of mine [that] he could make it in Europe,” Klinsmann said in an interview with ESPN’s Press Pass. “It’s more a mental thing than it is a football thing.

“Now [Donovan] comes in as a mature player … He’s a far more confident player. He has the physical capabilities, he has the technical capabilities.”

Having struggled to impress on his last sojourn to the Bundesliga when he had a brief spell at Bayer Leverkusen, Donovan said he is enjoying his time in Munich and is …

England captain John Terry’s header six minutes from time sealed a 2-1 win over Germany in Wednesday’s friendly at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium as Fabio Capello’s weakened team beat the Euro 2008 runners-up.

A first-half goal by West Ham’s Matthew Upson was cancelled out by Bayer Leverkusen Patrick Helmes’ second-half equaliser following a mix-up in the England defence before Terry headed the winner in the closing stages.

It was England who scored first when they were rewarded for an early piece of pressure. Their second corner in quick succession was swung in and Germany goalkeeper Rene Adler looked to have been hindered by Jermain Defoe as he went to punch the ball clear. In the resulting scramble, Upson was the sharpest to react and stabbed the ball home on 23 minutes to put the visitors ahead as England controlled the first half with Germany’s attack rarely threatening.

Both England and Germany made changes during half-time to their squad. The changes worked in Germany’s favour as a horrible mix-up in the England defence between Terry and West Bromwich Albion shot-stopper Carson saw the ball bobble to Helmes who fired into an empty net on 63 minutes to equalise. But Terry rectified the …