MUNICH: Bayer Leverkusen moved up to second in the Bundesliga and closed the gap to leaders Bayern Munich to one point after a pair of goals from set pieces and a Patrik Schick effort gave them a 3-0 win at bottom team Schalke 04 on Sunday.
Levekusen have 22 points from 10 games, just behind Bayern who were held in Saturday's rip-roaring 3-3 home draw with third-placed RB Leipzig, who are two points off top.
Schalke, who extended their winless league run to 26 games, are rooted to the foot of the table on three points.
Schalke keeper Michael Langer pulled off a string of superb saves but the porous defence in front of him could not keep the visitors at bay.
Schalke's miserable afternoon was compounded by a penalty miss as Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky saved Steven Skrzybski's spot-kick and Benito Raman's follow-up header.
Under pressure from visiting defender Aleksandar Dragovic, Malick Thiaw beat his own keeper in the 10th minute to put Leverkusen in front as the ball came off his shoulder and trickled through Langer's hands after Leon Bailey floated in a corner.
Langer then denied Bailey and Schick time and again before Julian Baumgartlinger made it 2-0 in the 67th minute from another Bailey corner, with the ball coming off the midfielder's head and shoulder as it sailed inside the far post.
Skrzybski then missed a gilt-edged chance to pull one back as Hradecky parried his tame penalty and the keeper then did superbly to push Raman's follow-up header over the bar.
Schalke were punished swiftly as Schick latched on to Nadiem Amiri's pass and smashed a left-footed shot past Langer from inside the penalty area. Real Sociedad were unable to break down 10-man Alaves in a 0-0 draw on Sunday as they failed to return to the top of the La Liga standings, leaving Atletico Madrid clear at the summit.
In bizarre circumstances, Alaves midfielder Rodrigo Battaglia was shown a straight red card in the 61st minute, possibly for making an offensive remark to the referee or opponent Roberto Lopez while Alaves were about to take a throw-in.
Sociedad had been dominating the Basque derby before then and increased the pressure once they had the man advantage, but Alaves comfortably repelled their many crosses into the box.
Alaves keeper Fernando Pacheco was also on top form and made five saves during the game, the best of which came when he flew to his right to tip away a vicious strike from Willian Jose in the second half. Sociedad had started the weekend top of the table but the draw left them second in the standings on 25 points after 12 games.
Leaders Atletico, who beat Real Valladolid 2-0 on Saturday, have 26 points after 10 matches. Agencies