Hannover, Germany – Hannover climbed into fifth place in the Bundesliga on Sunday after securing a 2-1 win over Monchengladbach that improves the club's European hopes.
Hannover found itself in the middle of the league after losing two of its last three games, but after a scoreless first half, Didier Ya Konan broke the deadlock by redirecting Konstantin Rausch's shot beyond goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the 57th minute.
The lead was doubled with 15 minutes to play when Jan Schlaudraff's cross was flicked inside the far post by the head of Mame Biram Diouf, only for Gladbach to answer a few minutes later.
Havard Nordtveit scored from the edge of the penalty area to make it 2-1, and Marco Reus forced Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler into a fine save that preserved the win.
Hoffenheim 1, Schalke 1
Sinsheim, Germany - Schalke needed a penalty kick from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the final 10 minutes to salvage a 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim on Sunday.
The result brings Schalke's three-match winning streak to an end and leaves the club in third place, six points back of second-place Bayern Munich.
Hoffenheim took the lead on the half-hour mark when Lars Unnerstall fouled Sven Schipplock inside the penalty area, allowing Sejad Salihovic to convert from the spot.
But after Huntelaar hit the crossbar from close range in the 78th minute, he was handed the chance to level the match with a penalty kick after Chinedu Obasi went down under a challenge from Andreas Beck inside the area.
And Huntelaar held his nerve from the spot, firing the ball into the lower corner of the net for his 23rd goal of the campaign.
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