Schalke misses chance to close on Champions League spots

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Schalke missed its chance to put pressure on the Bundesliga teams in the Champions League places in a 1-1 draw with last-placed Paderborn on Saturday, while Hertha Berlin’s miserable form continued.

Schalke took the lead in a drab game in the 63rd minute through Ahmed Kutucu, and Paderborn evened it up in the 81st. Klaus Gjasula, who plays in a protective helmet because of an old cheekbone fracture, rose highest at a corner to level the score.

Schalke sits fifth in the table but is likely to see its four-point gap to the Champions League places grow when Borussia Mönchengladbach plays Cologne on Sunday.

Jürgen Klinsmann’s Hertha team continued to slide toward the relegation zone, finishing with 10 men in losing to Mainz 3-1 as Robin Quaison scored a hat trick.

Dedryck Boyata’s 84th-minute header was the only bright spot for Hertha, which sits 14th and hadn’t scored in any of its previous three home games. Marius Wolf was sent off late in the game when he went into a challenge with a raised arm and the referee decided he’d used an elbow.

Elsewhere, Freiburg beat Hoffenheim 1-0 on a penalty from Luca Waldschmidt.

Promoted Union Berlin rose to 11th with a 2-0 win over Werder Berlin, which dropped back into the relegation zone in 17th.

Fortuna Düsseldorf’s new coach, Uwe Rösler, drew his first league game in charge 1-1 with Wolfsburg as Fortuna moved above Werder to 16th. Wolfsburg played most of the second half with 10 men after Marin Pongracic was sent off in the 48th for elbowing an opponent at a free kick.

Dortmund visited Bayer Leverkusen in Saturday’s late game.