Max Meyer's double and a Christian Fuchs volley were enough to seal Schalke's second win in their last six games.
In the first half Schalke were the dominant forces. The change in system certainly was evident in the first half as Schalke dominated having 62% of the possession and completing 209 passes compared to their 219 in the whole of the 3-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Schalke attacked from the first whistle, Christian Fuchs’ having the Royal Blues’ first attempt of the game after two minutes, he found some space in the centre of the box he tried bending it into the bottom right corner but the veteran didn’t get quite enough bend on it.
Hoffenheim had a great chance after seven minutes played, Steven Zuber had a shot from more than 35 yards but Wellenreuther - who kept his place in goal with Fabian Giefer and Ralf Fährmann out injured- was equal to his shot and brilliantly saved his effort.
Schalke had a flurry of attacks in the first ten minutes, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar couldn’t test Baumann with his weaker right foot, his shot went wide for a goal kick. Manchester City loanee Matija Nastasic header from close range was straight at Baumann who gratefully clutched the ball in his chest. But then six minutes later, the deadlock was broken, Marco Höger broke on the far side his cross evading everyone but Fuchs was there at the back post, he bought his time and perfectly executed the volley into Oliver Baumann’s near post.
Wellenreuther called into action this time from Pirmin Schwegler, the youngster saving in the top corner once as Schwegler tried bending his effort into the top corner of his goal. Schwegler then turned provider after twenty-five minutes, Anthony Modeste met his delivery but he couldn’t quite divert his header goalwards.
Schalke’s pressure continued, however, Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting had a chance from outside the box but he scuffed his effort wide following pressure from Polanski. Then, Huntelaar’s header was tame the deflection fell to Roman Neudstädter at the edge of the box but he scuffed his shot wide. Then, ten minutes before the break, Atsuto Uchida played a diagonal pass to Choupo Moting who brilliantly controlled and flicked the ball in to Meyer who was free in the six yard box and tapped home to make it 2-0.
In the second half, it wasn’t so one sided. Hoffenheim came out the traps furiously looking to salvage something from the game. They came close but couldn’t quite score the chances that were presented their way. Schalke’s young torwart Timon Wellenreuther was called into action on numerous occasions but he done brilliantly to keep the score down.
Following the restart, Gisdol’s men were out the traps the quickest putting the Royal Blues defence under pressure, Wellenreuther denied Steven Zuber for a second time. Zuber rose above his marker in the box from Firmino’s corner but he couldn’t direct his header either side of Wellenreuther and the 19 year old easily caught the header. Then, Kevin Volland had a brilliant chance on his left foot, he caught it sweet but he didn’t quite catch it well enough to get it on target and his effort whistled past the post.
Seemingly against the run of play, Schalke made it three. The return to the starting line up of Max Meyer proved a brilliant decision from Roberto Di Matteo. Same as the second goal, Eric Choupo Moting and Meyer combined, Meyer in the centre of the Hoffenheim area and he expertly picked out the bottom corner of Baumann’s goal to make it 3-0.
Hoffenheim were not going down without a fight, with over fifteen minutes to play the visitors pulled a goal back. An incisive counter attack from Hoffenheim, Szalai set Hoffenheim through on goal, Volland cut one way, then the other and he placed his left footed strike across the on-coming Wellenreuther who was wrong-footed and didn’t move for the visitor’s consolation goal.
Schalke’s torrid run of form came to a close. The poor run of scoring also ended as they nearly scored the same goals as they managed to score in the previous six games.