Bundesliga wrap: New Schalke boss makes winning start

Schalke have given Huub Stevens a dream start as their new boss as they recorded a 2-1 win over Hamburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s brace was enough for Schalke to overcome the bottom-placed Hamburg at Imtech Arena.

The Dutchman looped a header over Hamburg goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny on 15 minutes, only for striker Mladen Petric to equalise before the interval.

But Huntelaar struck the winner with less than 20 minutes to play, flicking in a Christian Fuchs cross to send his team into fourth spot.

Elsewhere, a Mohammed Abdellaoue hat-trick gave Hannover an entertaining 3-2 win at home to Werder Bremen.

In a thrilling contest, the Norwegian forward was in fine form, netting from the penalty spot before doubling his tally to put his team 2-0 up after 39 minutes.

Austrian Marko Arnautovic pulled a goal back for the visitors with a neat finish in first-half stoppage time, before Abdellaoue restored his side’s two-goal buffer after the break.

Arnautovic was sent off in the 78th minute and although Claudio Pizarro scored a late goal, Werder Bremen were forced to leave without a point.

Hannover sit fifth after the win, one point adrift of second-placed Werder Bremen.