BERLIN (AFP) - Werder Bremen beat close rivals Hamburg 2-1 to jump to the top of the German league table on Saturday though Bayern Munich have yet to play and could regain pole position.

Bayern, at the top of the league virtually all season, would grab back the initiative with a victory at lowly Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday. Bremen have 33 points to Bayern's 31 with third-placed Hamburg on 30.

Bremen will surely be relishing their night of celebration though. Against a Hamburg side who are serious title challengers, Bremen held on with a winner from Finnish defender Petri Pasanen midway through the second half.

Ivory Coast's Boubacar Sanogo put Bremen ahead on the quarter-hour after good work by Jurica Vranjes though Hamburg's Rafael van der Vaart equalised on 61 minutes with a superb 25-metre lob.

Then came Pasanen's winner though it was helped into the net by Hamburg's Belgian defender Vincent Kompany, meaning Werder took top spot for the first time this season.

Bremen continued their good form from mid September, leaving them unbeaten in their last 10 league outings, even though they were without key players Torsten Frings and Tim Borowski.

Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf said afterwards: "We have managed to get through a difficult week very well," adding his team had been top of their game for several weeks now.

Hamburg coach Huub Stevens also congratulated Bremen. "The best team won -- the freshest team physically too," said Stevens, whose team beat French side Rennes in the UEFA Cup 48 hours earlier.

Bayern meanwhile have not been at their best recently and could only manage a 1-1 draw against Portuguese side Braga in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Captain and keeper Oliver Kahn said he regretted a "lack of passion" shown by his teammates.

However Bayer Leverkusen have been gaining victory after victory lately and are approaching the leading trio. Leverkusen beat Hertha Berlin 3-0, leaving them six points behind the leaders.

At the other end of the table, Energie Cottbus won for only the second time this season, beating Karlsruhe 2-0, leaving Duisburg -- who host another relegation candidate Nuremberg on Sunday -- in bottom spot.