Hannover overcame a difficult start to beat Bayer Leverkusen in a topsy-turvy Bundesliga thriller tonight.

Leverkusen took the lead after just three minutes when Gonzalo Castro finished an incisive passing move.

The home side responded well and quickly equalised when Szabolcs Hustzi made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Andre Schurrle had a goal disallowed for the visitors before Mame Diouf put Hannover ahead on the hour when me headed home a Jan Schlaudraff cross.

Hannover's lead was again short-lived as Leverkusen got back on terms in under a minute through Stefan Kiessling.

Leverkusen were behind ten minutes later when they conceded a second penalty of the match, which Hustzi duly dispatched to make it 3-2.

Mirko Slomka's side held on to claim an impressive victory over the Champions League contenders in their last home game of 2012.