MUNICH: Raul (pic) scored after 15 minutes as Schalke set up a DFB-Pokal Cup (German Cup) final against Duisburg with a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena this morning.

The former Real Madrid striker headed home two minutes after his half-volley was cleared off the line by Mario Gomez and, although Bayern piled on the pressure in the second half they could not find the equaliser, Franck Ribery shooting straight at Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with three minutes left.

In an open game, Raul almost opened the scoring when his leftfooted half-volley was headed for the bottom corner only for Gomez to intervene.

However, the visitors took the lead when Jefferson Farfan's corner was headed towards goal by Benedikt Hoewedes, with Raul getting the final touch to head into the top left-hand corner.

Arjen Robben shot into the side netting for Bayern but Schalke were on top.

Raul released Farfan but after he turned inside, his shot was weak.

Hoewedes' header was destined for the right corner but Thomas Mueller cleared off the line as Schalke finished the first half in command.

However, it was all Bayern after the interval. Danijel Pranjic's low left-footed ball across the six-metre box just evaded Gomez and Robben, before Neuer was equal to Bastian Schweinsteiger's header, pulling off a fine one-handed save.

Farfan nipped in but put the ball over before Bayern had a late chance to equalise.

Klose squared the ball to Ribery who shot from eight yards out, but put the ball straight into the hands of Neuer.

MADRID: Villarreal breathed life into their bid for a place in next season's Champions League when Giuseppe Rossi struck to give them a 1-0 home win over Hercules at the Madrigal this morning.

The Italy striker sped on to Cani's through ball in the 21st minute and finished past Juan Calatayud to lift Villarreal to 50 points from 26 matches — one behind third-placed Valencia who were beaten 1-0 at the Mestalla in a match played later.

Juan Carlos Garrido's Villarreal side, who are still alive in the Europa League, had lost two and drawn two of their last four league matches.

Europa League champions Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, meanwhile, stumbled in their campaigns for a European berth.

Atletico, who have won only two and lost five of their 10 league matches this year, were held to a 1-1 draw at city rivals Getafe and Bilbao squandered the lead to lose 2-1 at Real Zaragoza.

Atletico are eighth on 35 points, three behind Bilbao and Sevilla, who beat visiting Sporting Gijon 3-0 on Tuesday.

Atletico manager Quique Sanchez Flores admitted that qualifying for Europe next season would not be feasible if both star strikers Sergio "Kun" Aguero and Diego Forlan cannot score goals.

"If we want to achieve our objective, we must have goals from both Kun and Forlan. It is not feasible otherwise. Between now and the end of the season, the team needs to make sure that we find the goals.

"I always see the positive side and the fifth and sixth places are within range of five and three points," said the former Valencia manager.

"Every point comes at the brutal cost of effort and sacrifice. I'm not satisfied with the point because we came with the target of winning and we have not won."