Schalke beat Wolfsburg to keep heat on Bayern

Schalke 04 moved level on points with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich yesterday as they roared back to form with a 3-0 win at home to VfL Wolfsburg.

Gerald Asamoah headed Schalke ahead in the 13th minute, Ebbe Sand doubled the lead with another header 10 minutes before half-time and Mike Hanke wrapped up Schalke's first win in three games with the third in the 85th minute.

Schalke even had the luxury of an Ailton penalty miss as they claimed a victory that kept them in second place with 41 points from 21 games, behind Bayern on goal difference.

Bayern can move back into a three-point lead if they win at Arminia Bielefeld today.

Werder Bremen climbed to third on 37 points with a 2-0 win at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Aaron Hunt got the first and Egyptian striker Mohamed Zidan marked his debut with the second goal two minutes from time.

Hertha Berlin improved to fourth on 36 points with a 2-1 win at home to Nuremberg, while Stuttgart slipped to fifth after a 2-1 defeat at Hamburg.

Schalke went into yesterday's game looking for a victory tonic, after managing just five points from their previous four games.

"Today it was simply important that we won," said Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick. "I'm not concerned about the results of the other teams."

Wolfsburg, beaten in their first three games in 2005, proved to be the perfect victims as their defensive weakness allowed Schalke to enjoy a comfortable win.

Asamoah was given a free header from Lincoln's free kick for the first goal. Sand headed in a Lincoln corner for the second before Ailton saw his spot kick well saved by Simon Jentzsch six minutes after the break.

Wolfsburg had Hans Sarpei sent off for a second booking in the 76th minute and then Hanke tapped in Schalke's third goal late on.

Results

B. Dortmund vs Bochum 1-0
Freiburg vs Hanover 0-0
Hamburg vs Stuttgart 2-1
H. Berlin vs Nuremberg 2-1
Kaiserslautern vs H. Rostock 2-1
Schalke vs Wolfsburg 3-0
W. Bremen vs B. M'gladbach 2-0

Playing Today
A. Bielefeld vs B. Munich
B. Leverkusen vs Mainz