Jose Guerrero netted both goals on Sunday to seal Hamburg’s 2-1 win at Schalke 04, which keeps Martin Jol’s side in the heart of the title race a point behind leaders Hertha Berlin.
The three points in Gelsenkirchen leaves Hamburg fourth in the league, but level on 48 points with Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg, with the three clubs all just a point behind Hertha who were humbled 2-0 in Stuttgart on Saturday.
“I am proud of my team,” said Hamburg coach Jol. “Schalke had nine days to prepare for this game, for us was it the 11th game in 33 days. I would not have expected this result — that was a one-off.”
“We just have to look game to game and if we keep playing like this then we have a chance to win something this season, and that’s what every team wants,” Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost said.
The game was heading for a goalless draw until Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer went to head away a ball in the area, but only managed to nod his clearance into Guerrero’s path who fired home on 70 minutes.
And the Peruvian striker made it 2-0 just five minutes later when Marcell Jansen fired at goal to give Guerrero a tap in at the far post.
Schalke striker Jefferson Farfan scored a consolation goal with 10 minutes left, but the defeat leaves Schalke eighth and just one point separates the top four sides in the Bundesliga.
“Both teams had the chance of taking the lead, then Guerrero’s goals came from nowhere,” Schalke coach Fred Rutten said.
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