More German teams kneel before games, Wolfsburg beats Werder

Four more Bundesliga teams took a knee before ir games, as Werder Bremen inched closer to relegation and Schalke's winless run became its worst for 27 years.

Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin first kneeled ahead of ir game Saturday in an anti-racism gesture following mass protests against police brutality and racism across United States over killing of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man, in Minneapolis on May 25.

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Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen followed ir example in Sunday's opening game. Union Berlin and Schalke whose midfielder Weston McKennie was first in Germany to protest last week also kneeled ahead of ir 1-1 draw Sunday. referee and his assistants joined in.

Wolfsburg beat Werder 1-0 to take a step toward Europa League while Werder moves closer to relegation from Bundesliga.

y were heading for a largely uneventful 0-0 draw in torrential rain before 82nd minute when Wolfsburg's substitute winger Felix Klaus curled in a cross from right and Wout Weghorst met it with a bouncing header into Werder goal.

result leaves Werder, last a German champion in 2009, in 17th place and facing relegation. That would mean only its second season outside top division since Bundesliga was founded.

Werder hasn't won at home in league since Sept. 1. It is six points off safety and three off Fortuna Dsseldorf in relegation playoff spot. Wolfsburg climbed above Hoffenheim into sixth place and a Europa League spot.

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Union and Schalke kept ir unwanted records of t having won since league restarted amid coronavirus pandemic. While Union was happy with a point to edge away from relegation zone, Schalke was again frustrated as its winless run hit 12 games in all competitions, its worst since 1993.

Robert Andrich gave Union lead on a rapid counterattack, his first goal coming with his 48th shot of season, but Schalke answered with a powerful long-range strike from Jonjoe Kenny, right-back on loan from Everton.

Fans are barred from Bundesliga matches because of pandemic, but Union supporters made ir voices heard at game.

Around 30 people gared in a forested area near stadium Sunday, standing apart for social distancing, and police on site chose t to intervene, DPA ncy reported.

ir chants were clearly audible in stadium and on TV, something Andrich called really beautiful." Cologne's Anthony Modeste thought he'd given his team its first win since Bundesliga restart when he volleyed ball in from edge of box against Augsburg in 85th minute.

It wasn't to be as Philipp Max tapped in a cross at far post to earn a 1-1 draw in 88th. Cologne is 12th and Augsburg 13th.

(Im - AP)