Berlin: Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Sunday as Toni Kroos scored one goal and set up the others in their 3-0 win at Hoffenheim.
Defender Sami Hyppia grabbed the lead on 11 minutes, connecting with a deep Kroos free kick at the far post before the midfielder turned scorer six minutes after the restart with a shot inside the box.
The gifted playmaker, on loan from Bayern Munich, set up the third in the 71st, cutting a pass into the middle of the box for Swiss international Tranquillo Barnetta to seal their third straight win and put Leverkusen back on top on 41 points.
Second-placed Bayern Munich had provisionally gone top on Saturday after beating Werder Bremen 3-2 to climb to 39 points from 19 matches.
Schalke 04 lost some ground when they squandered a two-goal in the last eight minutes against VfL Bochum to draw 2-2 and drop to third place, a further point adrift.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, January 25, 2010, 09:14