Soccer-Hertha beat Schalke 2-1 to dig themselves out of trouble

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (Reuters) - Hertha Berlin substitute Jessic Ngankam snatched a 74th-minute winner as his team came from a goal down to beat already-relegated Schalke 04 2-1 on Wednesday and boost their own chances of staying in the Bundesliga.

In a delayed game due to Hertha's coronavirus quarantine last month, the Berliners earned three crucial points that lifted them to 13th place on 34 points, three above the relegation playoff spot in 16th occupied by Arminia Bielefeld, with two matches remaining.

Werder Bremen are in 15th on 31 points while Augsburg have 33 in 14th.

Amine Harit put bottom club Schalke ahead when he rifled in a low shot in the sixth minute.

But Hertha, who have managed two wins and a draw from their three delayed games in the last week, hit back with Dedryck Boyata in the 19th before Ngankam completed the turnaround in the second half.

Unbeaten in their last seven league games, Hertha were reduced to 10 men when Dodi Lukebakio was dismissed after a second booking in the 88th minute and had a lucky escape when Schalke twice hit the post in stoppage time through Shkodran Mustafi and Benito Raman.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Toby Davis)