Hoffenheim leapfrog Hertha into third place with 1-0 win

BERLIN ( Reuters) - Hoffenheim edged past Hertha Berlin with a first-half goal from Niklas Suele on Sunday to leapfrog their opponents in the Bundesliga table and move into third place with a fifth straight league win.

Hoffenheim remain unbeaten and move up to 19 points, four off leaders Bayern Munich, while their 1-0 win left Hertha, who had keeper Rune Jarstein to thank for a string of superb saves, in fourth place on 17 points.

The hosts needed 20 minutes to settle but then took control, rattling the crossbar with a Pavel Kaderabek header after Jarstein had denied Lukas Rupp from close range.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with Suele's header and apart from a Vedad Ibisevic effort, which was parried by keeper Oliver Baumann, Hoffenheim rarely threatened.

Norwegian Jarstein thwarted Hoffenheim's strikers several more times but could do nothing to avoid their first defeat in October.

Bayern are top on 23 points after Saturday's 3-1 win at Augsburg, with RB Leipzig two points behind in second following their 2-0 win at Darmstadt 98.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ian Chadband)