BERLIN (AFP) -- Schalke 04 moved level on points with Werder Bremen at the top of the Bundesliga after a convincing 4-0 home win over strugglers Mainz 05 on Saturday.

Pacesetters Werder Bremen had lost 3-1 against Borussia Dortmund on Friday and Schalke took full advantage with former German international Kevin Kuranyi and Turkish striker Halil Altintop both scoring a brace to help the Gelsenkirchen club join Bremen on 23 points.

Bayern Munich also capitalized on Bremen's slip in a thrilling 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen.

Reigning champions Bayern looked to be heading for their second loss in a week, following their humiliating 1-0 home defeat to Hannover, with Brazilian Athirson putting Leverkusen ahead 2-1 in the 80th minute.

However Martin Demichelis leveled three minutes later and Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro scored an 86th minute winner in a thrilling finale.

Bayern go fourth with the sensational win, a point behind VfB Stuttgart, who are two points behind Bremen and Schalke and have the chance to claim top spot with victory over Hannover on Sunday.

Schalke, out of the UEFA Cup and the German cup, have pinned all their hopes on the league this season and they go from strength to strength with the latest triumph moving them into second.

The game was wrapped up by halftime with Kuranyi scoring twice inside 32 minutes while Altintop was also on target after a brilliant 70-meter run from Brazilian fullback Rafinha gave him a tap-in.

Altintop's delicate chip for his second goal reflected the growing confidence in the Schalke camp.

Bayern found it tougher going in their see-saw match at Leverkusen with Stefan Kiessling canceling out the 33rd minute opener from Hasan Salihamidzic.

Athirson then put Leverkusen in front with just ten minutes left but Bayern showed the spirit of champions to score twice in the next six minutes to claim the spoils.

At the wrong end of the table SV Hamburg manager Thomas Doll was left seething as his team drew 1-1 with Borussia Monchengladbach.

Danijel Ljuboja scored on 66 minutes to put Hamburg ahead but Oliver Neuville equalized six minutes from time.

It was Doll's 100th game in charge and prior to the game there was speculation that defeat against Gladbach, who had lost all their other away matches, would cost him his job.

A draw leaves Hamburg fourth from bottom and Doll's future remains unclear.