Sitting four points from safety in the Bundesliga’s relegation zone, and with just one win in their last four matches, Schalke were hoping for a fast start and Kenan Karaman nearly delivered when he raced behind the Werder Bremen defence and fired inches wide.
Despite starting on the front foot, Schalke couldn’t maintain their pressure and Werder Bremen struck with their first real attack. A sweeping counter ended with Mitchell Weiser releasing Marvin Ducksch, who lashed an unstoppable first-time strike past Alexander Schwolow for his fourth goal in two matches.
Conceding early did not dampen the Schalke spirits as they continued to push forward for an equaliser and the Royal Blue were almost rewarded as Simon Terodde went close to scoring in back-to-back home matches, but his diving header was tipped over the crossbar by Jiri Pavlenka.
With just one defeat in their last six home matches, Schalke were going to pull out all the stops to maintain their upturn in form at the Veltins Arena and Marius Bulter almost equalised in spectacular fashion with a 25-yard strike that Pavlenka clawed away from danger.
The hosts remained on top and went agonisingly close yet again when Werder Bremen failed to clear a corner and Tom Krauss thumped the crossbar from close range.
Time appeared to be running out for Schalke until a late long throw was cleared to Sepp van den Berg, who curled in from the edge of the area before another super-sub Dominick Drexler was left unmarked in the area during injury time and chipped over Pavlenka and into the net.
The dramatic late strikes could prove decisive in Schalke’s battle against relegation as they are now one point off Stuttgart in 15th.
Werder Bremen couldn’t build on their early strike and the defeat leaves them just one win shy of the magic 38-point mark - which has been enough to avoid relegation since the 1995/96 season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rodrigo Zalazar (Schalke)
