Wolfsburg's Germany striker Mario Gomez scored a hat-trick in the final 10 minutes but Bayer Leverkusen had the last laugh in an entertaining 3-3 draw in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Gomez headed home in the 80th and 83rd minute before converting an 87th-minute penalty for a 3-2 lead, only for substitute Kai Havertz to salvage a draw for the hosts in the 89th.
Leverkusen had led 2-0 from Karim Bellarabi and Kevin Volland before the sensational finale to the game, but the draw helped neither of the two struggling teams.
In the other game, Socceroos winger Mathew Leckie helped second-bottom Ingolstadt to a crucial 2-1 win at Mainz 2-1 to kickstart a crucial week in their bid for survival.
Wolfsburg's extended their unbeaten run to four matches and eight points under new coach Andries Jonker after heavily flirting with defeat.
Leverkusen took the lead against the flow of play when Germany forward Karim Bellarabi volleyed home Charles Araguiz' cross in the 40th. Kevin Volland tapped the second at the far left post off a free-kick in the 63rd.
Wolfsburg seemed beaten but never gave up and Gomez' headers and the penalty, harshly given after Jakub Blaszczykowski went down, even seemed to assure them of three points.
But Havertz converted Bellarabi's cross for 3-3 and Roberto Hilbert even had the chance to win it after all for Leverkusen.
"Trailing 2-0 we still believed we could achieve something. Then we lead and give it away. We controlled the match. A result like this gives you confidence," Jonker said, admitting that Gomez's scoring run since his arrival was "like a fairy tale."
In Ingolstadt, Romain Bregerie headed the hosts ahead in the 10th and Florent Hadergjonaj's intended cross from the right sailed in off the far left post in the 73rd for the winner, shortly after Mainz' equalizer from Levin Oztunali's free-kick.
Ingolstadt improved to 22 points as they ended a run of four games without victory.
They are still seven points shy of the relegation play-off spot which is occupied by Augsburg.
But they visit Augsburg Wednesday, followed by a home date with bottom club Darmstadt next weekend. If all goes their way they could then be just one point away from 16th.
"It was our aim to start with a home victory. Now we continue Wednesday in Augsburg. Every victory gives us hope. We have taken a first step," coach Maik Walpurgis said.
Mainz are 15th after their fourth game without victory and are in deep trouble as well, only ahead of Augsburg on goal difference.
Wolfsburg moved into 13th place with 30 points while 11th-placed Leverkusen also remain in trouble with 32 points.
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