Berlin, Oct 9, 2022 (AFP) - Union Berlin went two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Stuttgart on Sunday.
A second-half header from defender Paul Jaeckel helped Union win their sixth game of the season, piling more pain on struggling Stuttgart.
Union's rivals Freiburg, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund all drew this weekend, giving the Berliners a chance to extend their lead.
Union have now been on top of the table for four consecutive weeks but the current two-point gap is the widest so far.
Stuttgart are second-last and are the only team in the Bundesliga without a win this season.
Earlier on Sunday, Freiburg missed a chance to stay level with Union, drawing 2-2 away at Hertha Berlin in the absence of Covid-hit coach Christian Streich.
Stand in manager Lars Vossler said after the game he was "happy with a point" -- Freiburg's third draw in their past four games -- after a "complicated" match.
Freiburg's Daniel-Kofi Kyereh opened the scoring after 22 minutes, set up by Japanese winger Ritsu Doan.
Hertha struck back just 10 minutes later, when Dodi Lukebakio converted a penalty.
Suat Serdar scored a superb solo goal in the 61st minute to give Hertha the lead.
With the home side seemingly on track for what would have been just their second win of the season, substitute Kevin Schade scored in the 78th minute, pouncing on a free-kick fumbled by goalkeeper Oliver Christensen.
Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz, whose side has now not lost since late August, said the failure to win was "annoying".
"We've put a lot of effort in over the past few weeks, so it was difficult to accept that again we were unable to win," he said.
Hertha have won just once and drawn five times from nine games this season.
Ramy Bensebaini scored a brace as Borussia Monchengladbach thrashed 10-man Cologne in the Rhine derby 5-2 at home.
Cologne saw Florian Kainz, who had earlier scored a penalty, sent off in first-half injury time after conceding a spot-kick and picking up a second yellow card.
Algeria international Bensebaini converted from the spot to give Gladbach, who had struck first through Marvin Friedrich, a 2-1 lead.
Lars Stindl made it 3-1 with a goal just after half-time, while Bensebaini added one from open play after 76 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.
Cologne's Denis Huseinbasic gave his side a glimmer of hope in the 83rd minute, but France striker Marcus Thuram struck in injury time to wrap up the win for Gladbach.
Gladbach, who were thumped 5-1 by Werder Bremen last weekend, climbed up a tightly-packed Bundesliga table to sixth -- one point behind Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund who drew 2-2 on Saturday.