BERLIN: Hoffenheim battled past Schalke 2-0 on Sunday to make it three league wins in a row and move away from the relegation zone, leaving the Royal Blues in last place in the Bundesliga.

The hosts bagged the three points with a Schalke own goal in the first half and a twice-taken second half penalty to move up to 14th place on 28 points.

Schalke’s first away defeat in the league since January meant they dropped back down to last place on 21 points with seven matches remaining.

They had got off to a flying start and hit the crossbar after 37 seconds of play before Hoffen­heim responded with a double chance of their own a little later.

The hosts took the lead after Angelino cut the ball back in the box and Schalke’s Alex Kral deflected it into his own goal in the 22nd minute.

The Royal Blues, however, almost bounced back two minutes later with Maya Yoshida hitting the woodwork again.

Hoffenheim doubled their lead in the 70th minute with Ihlas Bebou beating Ralf Faehrmann on his second attempt from the penalty spot after the Schalke keeper had saved his first effort but was ruled to have moved off his line too early.

Earlier, Stuttgart’s resurgence under new coach Sebastian Hoeness continued with a 3-2 win at Bochum to move up from last place in the table to 16th, leapfrogging Schalke and Hertha.

Goals from Hiroki Ito, Serhou Guirassy and Josha Vagnoman took Stuttgart to victory, their second win since Hoeness was appointed manager on Tuesday, including a DFB Pokal quarter-final victory over Nuremberg.Meanwhile, goals from Nathan Ngoumou and Marcus Thuram earned Borussia Moenchen­gladbach a 2-0 home win over Wolfsburg, dampening the visitors’ hopes of European football next season.

Gladbach’s first win in six matches ended Wolfsburg’s five-match unbeaten run, leaving the visitors four points behind the European places.

Wolfsburg dominated early but it was Gladbach who would open the scoring, Ngoumou finishing off a team move well against the run of play.

With 34 minutes gone, Ngoumou latched onto a cutback from France striker Thuram and blasted past Wolfsburg ‘keeper Koen Casteels for the opener.

Gladbach doubled their lead midway through the second half, Ngoumou turning provider this time, linking with Alassane Plea who found Thuram in the box.

Thuram headed in for his 13th goal of the season, taking him three behind leader Niclas Fuell­krug atop the Bundesliga scoring charts.

Despite the win, Gladbach remain mired in mid-table in former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke’s first season in charge.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2023