Werder Bremen picked up an important three points in their battle against the drop and dented Hertha Berlin's title aspirations with a 1-0 win in the capital.

Max Kruse scored the only goal of the game five minutes before half-time when he capitalised on a mistake by Hertha defender Niklas Stark and beat Rune Jarstein for his second goal in as many games.

It was enough to earn the visitors a second straight win against a strangely off-colour Hertha.

Werder even had chances to win more convincingly, but Serge Gnabry was guilty on several occasions of failing to finish off quick counter-attacks.

The one goal was nevertheless enough to take them above Borussia Monchengladbach and keep them five points clear of the bottom two.