Leverkusen downs Stuttgart to boost Euro hopes

Berlin - Bayer Leverkusen rejoined the fight for a Champions League qualifying berth on Sunday with a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart that saw it break back into the German Bundesliga's top six.

Goals by Julian Brandt and Karim Bellarabi handed Leverkusen a win that put it level on points with fifth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach and two points behind Schalke, who sits in the fourth place that offers a spot in next season's Champions League playoffs.

Germany Under-21 star Brandt gave the visitors the lead at Stuttgart's Mercedes Benz Arena on 11 minutes when he finished off a flowing attack.

Bellarabi celebrated his call-up to the Germany squad for the forthcoming internationals against England and Italy by adding Leverkusen's second on 49 minutes.

Brandt, 19, could have claimed his second of the game, but his shot hit the post when he got away from the Stuttgart defence with an hour gone.