[goldenHuddlestone]

Schalke 04 missed a chance to go seven points clear in the Bundesliga when a late lapse meant they had to settle for a 2-2 draw at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Schalke were 2-0 up by the 29th minute and on course for a seventh straight win thanks to two goals from Kevin Kuranyi.

Diego Klimowicz pulled one back early in the second half, though, and Wolfsburg grabbed a point a minute from time when Marcelinho sent in a free kick that may just have brushed the head of Klimowicz on its way in at the far post.

A draw for Schalke was enough to take them five points ahead of VfB Stuttgart, who climbed to second thanks to a 4-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, but it meant they failed to take full advantage of defeats for Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich.

Werder suffered a third straight loss when two goals from Rafael van der Vaart earned Hamburg SV a 2-0 victory in the big northern derby at the Weserstadion.

Bayerns woes continued as they suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Alemannia Aachen in their final match before they travel to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. Alexander Klitzpera got the only goal for Aachen.

With 22 matches played, Schalke lead the standings on 49 points. VfB Stuttgart are second on 44, with Werder in third on 42 and Bayern in fourth on 37.

Bayerns second defeat in three games since the return of Ottmar Hitzfeld was yet another missed opportunity for the outgoing champions.

Aachen moved ahead with their first chance of the match in the 10th minute, when the ball dropped at the feet of Klitzpera following a deep corner.

Oliver Kahn pulled off a good reflex save but Klitzpera was quick to the rebound, just getting enough contact on the ball to take it past Philipp Lahm on the line.

Bayern had almost complete command of the game thereafter but their finishing was truly dreadful.

Roy Makaay, who had gone close with a free kick early in the game, missed chance after chance in a one-sided match but the worst failure came from Roque Santa Cruz, who hesitated when presented with an open goal and allowed the defence to clear.

[Matt the Thrasher]

Schalke looking good but Stuttgart seem to be the form team in Germany with Bayern & Werder both having a mare so far in 2007.