Schalke win at last to boost Euro hopes

Schalke 04 held on to second place in the Bundesliga as they brought a desperate run of form to an end with a 2-0 win at Arminia Bielefeld yesterday.

Schalke's first league win in five games came via an early Lincoln penalty and a late strike from Ailton, keeping them in the second Champions League qualification place behind champions Bayern Munich.

VfB Stuttgart and Hertha Berlin also secured vital wins to stay in the hunt for Europe's top club competition with two games to play.

Bayern Munich, who secured their 19th league championship last week, celebrated with a 4-2 win at Mainz, helped by a second successive hat-trick from Dutch striker Roy Makaay.

With 32 games played, Bayern are top with 71 points, followed by Schalke on 60.

Stuttgart clinched a 1-0 home win over Hanover 96 with a late Kevin Kuranyi goal to stay third on 58 points, while Hertha came from behind to win 3-1 at home to VfL Wolfsburg and move up to fourth on 56.

The top two in Germany qualify for the Champions League, with the third-placed team going into the final qualifying round.

Werder Bremen will move ahead of Hertha on goal difference if they win at Borussia Dortmund today.

Schalke's run of three defeats and a draw in their previous four games had handed the league title to Bayern and left their Champions League hopes in the balance.

Ralf Rangnick's side took an early lead yesterday when Brazilian forward Lincoln won a penalty on a run into the area and stepped up to convert it in the ninth minute.

Bag of nerves

Schalke were a bag of nerves for much of the remainder of the game, with only poor finishing from Bielefeld and one remarkable double save from stand-in keeper Christofer Helmeroth keeping them ahead in the first half.

After the break, Bielefeld striker Fatmir Vata somehow missed an open goal with a header from just two metres and Schalke were only able to relax when Ailton doubled their lead on a solo run in the final minute.

"It was hugely important for us to get the three points today," Rangnick said.

"We played very well in the first half. In the second we needed luck and an outstanding performance from the goalkeeper."

Stuttgart were also unconvincing in their home clash with Hanover but Kuranyi finally pounced in the 88th minute, smacking in from the edge of the box to clinch the points.