TSG Hoffenheim beat Schalke 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with two goals inside the first 26 minutes deciding a match that ended in chaos, injuries and nine minutes of added time at the SNP Arena in Sinsheim.

Fisnik Asllani opened the scoring after ten minutes and then set up Tim Lemperle for the second, as Hoffenheim took control of a relegation six-pointer on matchday nine. Junior Adamu pulled one back for Schalke in the 81st minute, but the visitors could not find an equaliser despite a frantic finish.

The opening goal arrived in bizarre fashion. Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius attempted a low pass out from the back, but the ball found the onrushing Asllani instead, and the Hoffenheim striker guided it into the empty net. It was a nightmare moment for the former Liverpool goalkeeper, and it set the tone for a difficult afternoon for the visitors.

Hoffenheim doubled their lead in the 26th minute with a far better goal. Asllani and Lemperle exchanged a neat one-two on the edge of the area, and Lemperle ran clear before slotting confidently past Karius. It was the striker's second goal of the season, and it put the hosts two goals clear at the break.

Schalke had their moments in the first half, carving out chances through Kenan Karaman and Adil Aouchiche, but they could not find a way past Oliver Baumann. The second half then took a dramatic turn within minutes of the restart.

Early in the second half, Karius saved well from Asllani, but as Robin Gosens slid in to clear the rebound, he caught his own goalkeeper in the face. Both players needed lengthy treatment and neither could continue. Kevin Muller replaced Karius in goal, while Vitalie Becker came on for Gosens, and the long stoppage meant nine minutes were added at the end of the match.

Hoffenheim thought they had a third goal on the hour when Andrej Kramaric found the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside and Schalke stayed in the contest. The visitors grew into the game, hitting the crossbar through Soufiane El-Faouzi and testing Baumann repeatedly, racking up a season-high number of attempts on goal.

The breakthrough finally came in the 81st minute. Substitute Edin Dzeko's header was saved by Baumann, and Adamu, who had also come off the bench, reacted quickest to sweep home the rebound. The goal ended a run of exactly 500 goalless competitive minutes for Schalke, and it was enough for Adamu to be voted man of the match after coming on in the 70th minute.

At 2-1, the closing stages opened up. Schalke pressed hard for an equaliser, and Hoffenheim had to survive a nervy finish with half-chances at both ends before the final whistle sounded after the nine added minutes. Substitute goalkeeper Muller saved from Alexander Prass in added time to protect the win.

The result lifted Hoffenheim into the top half of the Bundesliga table, while Schalke remained second from bottom on six points, having arrived in Sinsheim just above the foot of the standings. Schalke had scored the fewest goals of any side in the division before this match, and although Adamu's strike ended their drought, the defeat leaves them deep in trouble heading into the international break.

For Hoffenheim, the win was a reward for taking their early chances. Head coach Christian Ilzer had said before the game that his side wanted to be more consistent in turning periods of dominance into results, and in the first half they did exactly that with the two chances that mattered. They will now look to build on the victory when league action resumes later in November.