BERLIN (Reuters) - European hopefuls Hertha Berlin twice came from a goal down to earn a 2-2 draw at home to improving Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Schalke, last season's runners-up, were looking to make it three wins in a row in their effort to make up lost ground after a bad first half to the season,
They went ahead with a sensational curled shot from Yevhen Konoplyanka in the 19th minute.
Hertha levelled through Marco Grujic in the 39th minute before Mark Uth restored the visitors lead in the 44th only for Vedad Ibisevic to equalise on the stroke of halftime.
Schalke reserve keeper Alexander Nuebel, picked to start ahead of usual first-choice and captain Ralf Faehrmann for the second straight game, then had to make a sensational save on the hour to keep the visitors level.
Schalke are 12th on 22 points with Hertha in seventh on 28, three points off the Champions league qualifying places.
Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund, top on 45 points, take on lowly Hanover 96 on Saturday while champions Bayern Munich, six points behind in second, host VfB Stuttgart.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)