Ailton hat-trick keeps Schalke up with Bayern

Schalke 04 beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1 with a hat-trick from Brazilian striker Ailton yesterday to move back level on points with leaders Bayern Munich.

Moenchengladbach went ahead with a Joerg Boehme penalty before Ailton took over, equalising a minute before half-time and scoring with a powerful shot into the roof of the net and a fortunate strike off his shin to clinch the win.

Victory gave Schalke 44 points from 22 games and left them trailing Bayern, who won 5-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, only on goal difference.

Werder Bremen are third on 40 points after last season's double winners won 4-1 away to Hanover 96 on Saturday, with Bayer Leverkusen fourth on 38 following their 4-2 victory away to FC Nuremberg.

VfB Stuttgart climbed back up to fifth, also on 38 points, when they held on to win 1-0 at home to Hertha Berlin yesterday.

Schalke, under pressure to win after Bayern's classy display against Dortmund, found themselves overwhelmed early on against Moen-chengladbach.

The home side had two clear chances before Christian Pander fouled Wesley Sonck in the area in the 38th minute, giving Boehme his penalty chance.

Ailton, who had earlier missed an open goal, grabbed the equaliser just before the break when Milan Fukal made a dreadful mistake in defence, letting in Sven Vermant to supply the killer pass.

Vermant set Ailton up to smack into the roof of the net in the 66th minute and the Brazilian completed his hat-trick when a mistimed attempt at a shot instead came off his shin and ballooned over Kasey Keller.