Egyptian forward Mohamed Zidan scored a hat-trick to lead Mainz to a thrashing 4-1 home victory over Energie Cottbus in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Leon Andreasen put the hosts ahead after eight minutes before Sergei Radu equalized for Cottbus in the 20th minute. Zidan restored Mainz's lead two minutes later and added the third six minutes before the break from the penalty spot. The former Werder Bremen forward completed the rout one minute past the hour mark. Mainz moved to the 14th spot in the Bundesliga table with 21 points to ease their relegation worries. Elsewhere, Schalke beat Hertha Berlin 2-0 to go six points clear at the top following Bremen's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Stuttgart.
Schalke moved six points clear Kevin Kuranyi fired Schalke in front in the 64th minute before Danish striker Peter Lovenkrands ensured the win in the 75th minute. At the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart hammered Bremen 4-1. Roberto Hilbert broke the deadlock as early as the third minute and in-form Mario Gomez doubled the lead in the 17th minute. Ribas Diego pulled one back five minutes later but Ludovic Magnin added the third for Stuttgart in the 34th minute. Marco Streller put the icing on the cake four minutes before the final whistle. Schalke are on top of the table with 48 points, six ahead of second-placed Bremen.
