Ailton scored 28 goals to help Bremen lift the German title last season but he all but ended their hopes of repeating that feat with his strike in Gelsenkirchen.

German international Gerald Asamoah rolled the ball to Ailton to tap home but, in truth, the Brazilian was fortunate not to be flagged for offside.

Schalke move level on points with Bayern Munich at the summit with the win while Bremen languish nine points adrift of the top two.

Bayern underlined their determination to lift a 19th German championship with a comfortable 3-0 win over SV Hamburg at the Olympic Stadium on Friday.

VfB Stuttgart remain three points behind the leading duo in third spot after a 3-2 comeback win at Mainz 05.

Schalke forced the early pace in front of the 61,000 capacity crowd but it was Bremen who had the clear cut chances with Croat Ivan Klasnic hitting the post.

At half-time just one goal had been scored in the six Bundesliga matches on Saturday but that changed dramatically with seven goals coming in the first ten minutes of the second period.

Schalke took a 47th minute lead through Asamoah after Frenchman Johan Micoud failed to make a routine clearance.

Four minutes later the hosts pressed the self-destruct button with Christian Poulsen pulling back Klasnic to concede a penalty that Valerien Ismael converted with aplomb.

But Ailton was to have the final say once again showing there is no room for sentiment in football.

The defeat sees Bremen slip down to seventh with Bayer Leverkusen leapfrogging them thanks to a 3-0 triumph over Hannover on Sunday.

Hamburg had failed to win in Munich for 23 years and the wait goes on as Bayern turned in a commanding 3-0 win on Friday.

Last season Bayern stumbled to a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt after the winter break but there was no mistake in 2005.

Former French international defender Bixente Lizarazu, 35, started for Bayern after his shock return from Marseille in the winter break but his emotional comeback lasted just eight minutes.

German international Schweinsteiger replaced the injured Lizarazu and responded with a goal in the 48th minute.

Peruvian international Claudio Pizarro had netted the 21st minute opener.

Dutch target-man Roy Makaay (55) added a third as Bayern were in cruise control.

Borussia Dortmund took a giant stride away from the relegation zone with a 2-1 victory against VfL Wolfsburg.

Borussia Monchengladbach manager Dick Advocaat signed an incredible six players in the winter hiatus to fight relegation and one of them, Australian centre-back, Craig Moore, came up trumps in the 1-0 win over Arminia Bielefeld.

Moore, signed from Glasgow Rangers, crowned his Bundesliga debut heading the winner in after 52 minutes as Gladbach moved five points away from the drop zone.