BERLIN: Guido Burgstaller scored late for Schalke to beat visiting Hamburger SV 2-0 and move second in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Franco di Santo's early penalty got the home side underway as it stretched its unbeaten run in the league to six games.
Hamburg's Gideon Jung gave away the spot kick in the 16th minute with a clumsy challenge on Yevhen Konoplyanka.
The visitors pushed hard for an equalizer and went closest before the hour-mark, when Aaron Hunt struck the post after being brilliantly played through by the 17-year-old Jann-Fiete Arp.
Hamburg's hopes of an equalizer were effectively ended when Konoplyanka set up Burgstaller to seal it with just over ten minutes remaining.
That score pushed Schalke ahead of Leipzig on goal difference. Both sides trail Bayern Munich by six points after 12 rounds.
Winless Werder Bremen was hosting Hannover later Sunday.