Werder leave it late to down Hoffenheim as Schalke keep pace
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Werder Bremen scored two goals in injury time to earn a 3-1 win at Hoffenheim while Schalke shook off an early missed penalty to down Mainz 2-1 in Bundesliga action.
Austria international Zlatko Junuzovic had given Werder the lead in the last minute of the first half before scoring the clinching third three minutes into injury time at the end of the game. Second-half substitute Eduardo Vargas had equalised for Hoffenheim on 49 minutes but Nigerian forward Anthony Ujah put the visitors back in front two minutes into time added on, converting a pass from 37-year-old Claudio Pizzaro.
At the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Dutch international Klaas Jan Huntelaar missed his fourth straight penalty for Schalke after just four minutes against Mainz before the home side took control with a 37th-minute opener from German-born Cameroonian Joel Matip.
Midfieler Yunus Malli levelled the match just before half-time for the visitors before Huntelaar made up for his earlier miscue with a 61st-minute winner. The win for Schalke lifts them up to fifth place in the table on seven points and just ahead of Bremen on goal difference, five points off the lead, while Mainz are tenth. Hoffenheim are fourth from bottom with just one point from four outings.