RAUL struck twice and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar also got on the scoresheet as Schalke 04 beat St. Pauli 3-0 on Friday to move out of the relegation zone after only its second German Bundesliga win this season.
Former Real Madrid striker Raul grabbed his first after 14 minutes when Japanese Atsuto Uchida cut the ball into the box, Huntelaar failed to connect at the near post and the Spaniard slid the ball home from five meters.
The 33-year-old took his tally to three for the season, again from close range, nine minutes from time after Dutchman Huntelaar headed his sixth of the campaign after the break.
Only days ago Raul was told by coach Felix Magath to stop dropping back into midfield to pick up the ball and to spend more time in the box where his natural scoring instincts have made him the Champions League's all-time top scorer.
"I'm glad he scored in the Bundesliga again," said Magath, whose team has struggled in the league this season but can still advance in the Champions League. "I'm happy for him and I think it was a kind of redemption for him."
Schalke's first home victory in the league this season moved it up two places to 15th with nine points from 11 games. St. Pauli stayed on 13.
Mainz 05 can provisionally go top of the table with a win at SC Freiburg yesterday while Borussia Dortmund, a point ahead on 25, is in action at Hanover 96 today.