Hamburg started out like they meant business, but found little space to work in up front, with the home side content to sit deep in the opening stages. In the 13th minute, a dangerous free kick from Piotr Trochowski was cleared for a corner which resulted in an S04 breakaway, Jefferson Farfan finishing it with a shot from inside the box that HSV keeper Frank Rost kept out with his feet.

Berg opens Hamburg's account

The visitors broke the deadlock just over midway through the half. Eljero Elia zipped passed Carlos Zambrano and moved into the box before cutting the ball back for Berg to finish low into the right-hand corner from eight metres out. Schalke spurned a good opportunity to pull level just two minutes later, Kevin Kuranyi firing an angled shot at Rost with Farfan better placed in the middle.

With Schalke opening up somewhat, Hamburg were now getting their own chances on the break and in the 36th minute, home keeper Manuel Neuer had to come rushing out the area to clear with Elia bearing down on him at speed. Neuer was in action again two minutes before half time, saving spectacularly from a powerful outside-of-the-boot effort by Trochowski.

Looking good for the visitors

That proved to be the German international midfielder's warm-up act: on the stroke of half time, he floated in a free kick from more than 30 metres out. Neuer, anticipating a cross, scrambled in vain to keep it out, and Hamburg were two to the good.

The first half-chances of the second half also fell to the Red Shorts, but with the match seemingly slipping away from Schalke, Kuranyi handed them a lifeline in the 50th minute. The striker escaped marker Guy Demel inside the box and met Rafinha's precise cross from the right with a header that went in off the inside of the post.

Rozehnal sees red

Joris Mathijsen and Elia both picked up bookings in the minutes that followed as the tension started to get to the visitors, but worse was to follow for Hamburg on the hour mark when David Rozehnal was given a straight red for a professional foul on Kuranyi. Marcelo Bordon hammered the resultant free kick goalwards, Rost did well to parry it onto the bar but the ball dropped kindly for Lukas Schmitz, who headed home from close range.

The tide now seemed to be turning inexorably in Schalke's favour and they opened up in search of the winner. In the 76th minute Schmitz broke through inside the HSV box, Jerome Boateng blocking his square ball at the last second.

Down to the wire

True to form however in this topsy-turvy encounter, Hamburg went in front again with ten minutes remaining. Ze Roberto brilliantly took out four opponents before teeing up Berg to clinically slot away his second and his side's third.

The Royal Blues were never going to take defeat lying down though and they were rewarded in the final minute of regulation time. Heiko Westermann fired in a cross and Kuranyi got to the ball ahead of Mathijsen to nod the hosts level. One more header from Asamoah straight at Rost in added time and it was all over.

The result leaves Hamburg still second on goal difference, while Schalke drop to fourth behind Werder Bremen.

Line-ups

Schalke 04: Neuer – Rafinha, Zambrano, Bordon, Westermann – Mineiro -Moritz, Schmitz – Altintop, Farfan, Kuranyi

Hamburg: Rost – Demel, Rozehnal, Mathijsen, Aogo – Trochowski, Jarolim, Ze Roberto, Elia – Berg, Pitroipa

Goals: 0-1 Berg (26.), 0-2 Trochowski (45.), 1-2 Kuranyi (50.), 2-2 Schmitz (62.), 2-3 Berg (80.), 3-3 Kuranyi (90.)

Veltins Arena: attendance 61,673