Leipzig’s Belgian forward Lois Openda (right) arrived from Ligue 1 side Lens in the summer (Ronny HARTMANN)
Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy continued his remarkable Bundesliga scoring form this season, scoring a second-half penalty in a 2-0 home win over Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Guirassy, making his first start since mid-October after injury, was brought down in the box by Bremen defender Niklas Stark.
The striker chipped his spot-kick down the middle to chalk up his 16th goal of the season in just 11 games.
Brighton loanee Deniz Undav had given Stuttgart the lead after 17 minutes, tapping in from close range for his eighth goal in his past eight games.
Stuttgart needed to win a two-legged relegation playoff to stay in the top division last season but now sit third after 13 matches, two points behind second-placed Bayern Munich.
– Leipzig win at home –
Leipzig won 2-1 over promoted Heidenheim, goals from Lois Openda and Yussuf Poulsen sending the home side past Borussia Dortmund to fourth in the table.
Leipzig took the lead from the penalty spot, Openda winning and converting for his 10th goal in 13 league matches this season.
Poulsen doubled up for the hosts shortly before half-time taking advantage after wing-back David Raum beat two defenders.
“In the first half we were like a rabbit in front of a snake,” admitted Heidenheim manager Frank Schmidt.
His side hit back immediately after, Benedikt Gimber steering in through a crowded penalty area after a corner.
The goal would have raised some bad memories for the home side, who gave away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at European champions Manchester City in midweek.
But Marco Rose’s side dug deep against the energetic promoted side, securing a fifth home win of the season.
“We had so many chances to score, we should have killed the game earlier today,” said Poulsen.
Borussia Moenchengladbach needed a late winner to beat Hoffenheim 2-1 at home, left-back Luca Netz setting up Nathan Ngoumou for the winner with 10 minutes remaining.
Brought down in the box by former Liverpool centre-back Ozan Kabak midway through the second half, Gladbach’s Alassane Plea converted a penalty to give the home side the lead.
The visitors equalised just 90 seconds later however, with one-time Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst heading in from close range.
Elsewhere, Bochum won just their second match of the season, beating a disappointing Wolfsburg 3-1 at home to open a welcome gap from the relegation places.
Bochum ran out to a two-goal lead thanks to goals from Patrick Osterhage and Bernardo, but Wolfsburg pulled a goal back later in the first half through Mattias Svanberg.
Christopher Antwi-Adjei scored the winner with three minutes remaining, continuing Wolfsburg’s horrid away form, with just one win from seven games.
“Our away form this season has been a catastrophe,” said Wolfsburg midfielder Yannick Gerhardt. “I’m sorry for the fans who travelled to see it”.
Bayern’s home game against Union Berlin was postponed earlier Saturday due to heavy snowfall in the Bavarian capital.
Bayer Leverkusen can go five clear atop the table with a win at home against Dortmund on Sunday.
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