Berlin (AFP) - A penalty from Ihlas Bebou and an own goal from Alex Kral took Hoffenheim five points clear of the relegation spots, with a 2-0 home win over Schalke on Sunday.
Hoffenheim, who collected just one point from their first nine league matches in 2023, continued their strong form, having won their last three.
Around 10,000 Schalke fans made the trip south, packing out the 30,000-seat Rhein Neckar Arena, with their side entering the match in last place after Stuttgart's win at Bochum earlier on Sunday.
Hoffenheim struck first when former Manchester City wing back Angelino delivered a dangerous cross into the box, the ball rebounding off Schalke's Kral and into the net.
Japan defender Maya Yoshida brought down Hoffenheim's Christoph Baumgartner in the second half, the referee pointing to the spot.
Bebou scored the penalty to give his side a 2-0 lead and a crucial three points amid a tight relegation battle.
Schalke, having gone unbeaten in eight matches, have now lost two in a row and sit bottom of the ladder with seven matches remaining this season.
Schalke striker Marius Buelter said simply "we didn't get it right, it hurts" while goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann called on his side to win Friday's "brutal" match against second-last Hertha Berlin.
Stuttgart leapfrog Schalke
Earlier, Stuttgart's resurgence under new coach Sebastian Hoeness continued with a 3-2 win at Bochum to move up from last place in the table to 16th, leapfrogging Schalke and Hertha.
Goals from Hiroki Ito, Serhou Guirassy and Josha Vagnoman took Stuttgart to victory, their second win since Hoeness was appointed manager on Tuesday, including a German Cup quarter-final victory over Nuremberg.
Before the match, Stuttgart had won just one of their previous 12 in the league.
Iko gave his side the best possible start, pouncing on a poor clearance from Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann, slamming home to give the visitors an early lead.
Bochum equalised midway through the second half when Kevin Stoeger converted a penalty, but Stuttgart regained the lead just 90 seconds later.
Borna Sosa swung in a swerving cross from the left flank, which found Guirassy a metre from goal.
Stuttgart added another just three minutes later, Vagnoman heading in from close range.
Bochum's Philipp Hofmann scored with five minutes remaining to give the home fans hope of a comeback, but Stuttgart held on for a crucial victory.
Earlier on Sunday, goals from Nathan Ngoumou and Marcus Thuram earned Borussia Moenchengladbach a 2-0 home win over Wolfsburg, dampening the visitors' hopes of European football next season.
Gladbach's first win in six matches ended Wolfsburg's five-match unbeaten run, leaving the visitors four points behind the European places.
Wolfsburg dominated early but it was Gladbach who would open the scoring, Ngoumou finishing off a team move well against the run of play.
With 34 minutes gone, Ngoumou latched onto a cutback from France striker Thuram and blasted past Wolfsburg 'keeper Koen Casteels for the opener.
Gladbach doubled their lead midway through the second half, Ngoumou turning provider this time, linking with Alassane Plea who found Thuram in the box.
Thuram headed in for his 13th goal of the season, taking him three behind leader Niclas Fuellkrug atop the Bundesliga scoring charts.
Despite the win, Gladbach remain mired in mid-table in former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke's first season in charge.
Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac, also in his first year at the club, lamented his side "not putting up a fight" after going 2-0 down.
