BERLIN, May 10: Borussia Dortmund kept alive their hopes of direct access to the Champions League by crushing strugglers Nuremberg 4-1 on Saturday to move into second place.

Dortmund leapfrogged over VfB Stuttgart, who dropped one spot to third with a 1-0 home defeat to Werder Bremen. Both have 56 points, with two games remaining, but Dortmund have a better goal difference.

The first two go straight into the Champions League with the third-placed team entering the qualifying round.

Leaders Bayern Munich, who have already secured an 18th German crown, moved 16 points clear at the top with a 6-3 win at Hertha Berlin.

Bottom club Energie Cottbus lost 3-0 at TSV 1860 Munich and are relegated.

TSV 1860 Munich 3 Energie Cottbus 0

Borussia Dortmund 4 Nuremberg 1

Hertha Berlin 3 Bayern Munich 6

VfB Stuttgart 0 Werder Bremen 1

B. Moenchengladbach 3 Hansa Rostock 0

Hamburg SV 4 B. Leverkusen 1

VfL Wolfsburg 2 Kaiserslautern 2

Playing on Sunday: Schalke 04 v Hanover 96 Arminia Bielefeld v VfL Bochum—Reuters