Wolfsburg crush Werder as Schubert equals Gladbach record

BERLIN (Reuters) – Max Kruse scored twice as VfL Wolfsburg crushed Werder Bremen 6-0 on Saturday while Borussia Moenchengladbach coach Andre Schubert equalled a club record with his eighth unbeaten game since taking over as they earned a late 2-1 win against Hanover 96.

Schubert, who took over after five straight losses at the start of the season, matched their great former coach Udo Lattek’s record from the 1975/76 season with seven wins and a draw so far.

Ibrahima Traore put the hosts ahead before Artur Sobiech’s 65th minute equaliser for Hanover. Raffael was left unmarked five minutes from the end and he did not miss, tapping in the winner to lift Gladbach, who also twice hit the woodwork, to fourth on 22 points.

Wolfsburg remain two points ahead in third place after easing past Bremen with Alejandro Galvez scoring an own goal before the hosts doubled their lead through Kruse on the stroke of halftime. The Wolves netted four times in the second half, with Kruse completing the rout with his second goal in the 87th minute.

Hakan Calhanoglu capped Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt with a glorious goal, the Turkey international curling in a shot from the edge of the box to lift them to sixth place on 20 points.

Leaders Bayern Munich, who take on Schalke 04 later on Saturday, are on 34 points, five points clear of Borussia Dortmund, who lost 3-1 to Hamburg SV on Friday.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ian Chadband)