Golden oldie Raul conjured one of the goals of the season as he struck twice to give Schalke a 3-0 win over Hanover in the Bundesliga yesterday to keep them on course for a place in the Champions League.

Dutchman Klaas-Jan Huntelaar completed the win, breaking a 71-year club record for the number of goals in a season, in a match between two sides knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday.

Huntelaar has scored 43 goals in 42 games, 24 in the Bundesliga, 10 in the Europa League, five in the German Cup and four in Europa League qualifiers.

Hamburg SV remained stuck in a relegation battle after being held 1-1 at home by Bayer Leverkusen. New Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia was in charge for the first time and recalled former Germany captain Michael Ballack.

Croat Mladen Petric gave Hamburg the lead with a penalty just before half-time.

Andre Schuerrle levelled for Leverkusen, heading in after the ball took several ricochets in the penalty area.

Schalke stayed third, which would be enough to take them to the group stage of the Champions League next season, and opened a five-point gap over fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Huub Stevens’s Schalke have 57 points from 29 games, six behind second-placed Bayern Munich and a further three adrift of leaders Borussia Dortmund. Hanover are eighth on 41 points.

Hamburg occupy 14th spot in the 18-team table with 31 points, only two clear of Cologne who are in the relegation play-off spot.

Hertha Berlin have 27 points and Kaiserslautern are on 20.

Bundesliga
Schalke vs Hanover 3-0; Hamburg vs Bayer Leverkusen 1-1.

Leading standings: B. Dortmund 66; B. Munich 63; Schalke 57; B. M’gladbach 52.

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