Bayern looked to be heading for their fourth defeat of the season after Schalke scored twice inside the first 20 minutes but Andreas Ottl on the stroke of half-time and Dutch forward Roy Makaay restored parity.

"The first goal was vital for us as it lifted our spirits," said Bayern coach Felix Magath. "We were not in the game in the first half hour but after that we were the better team and deserved a point."

Despite salvaging a point the reigning champions will view it as a missed chance to close the gap on league leaders Werder Bremen, who drew 1-1 with Energie Cottbus on Saturday.

Cameroon striker Francis Kioyo produced an unstoppable dipping shot on 49 minutes to put Cottbus ahead before Croatian substitute Ivan Klasnic equalised on 76 minutes to rescue a point.

"That is not enough because I always want the three points," explained Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. "We did not manage to take our chances and they made it difficult for us by packing men behind the ball."

Bayern are now third in the standings three points adrift of Bremen while Schalke remain level on points with Bayern in fourth.

VfB Stuttgart stay in second following their 4-2 win at Alemannia Aachen on Saturday.

"My team showed there is some life in them yet," said Schalke boss Mirko Slomka. "Unfortunately we only got a point. Their goal just before the break was the turning point and they showed their class after that."

The match began with a protest from the Schalke fans who refused to support their team for the opening 19 minutes and four seconds of the match -- the length of the protest coincides with the year the club was founded, in 1904.

Upset by exits from the UEFA Cup and the German Cup, Schalke fans were silent but had something to shout about as Danish international Peter Lovenkrands put them ahead after 13 minutes.

Levan Kobiaschvili made it 2-0 seven minutes later but Bayern hit back to take a point although they have still not won in Schalke since October 1998.

In Sunday's other game Japanese international striker Naohiro Takahara scored the only goal of the game as Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0.

Elsewhere the pressure on SV Hamburg coach Thomas Doll shows no sign of letting up with his side falling to a 1-0 reverse at VfL Wolfsburg.

German international Mike Hanke scored after 19 minutes to leave Hamburg fourth from bottom of the table with just one win in ten games.

"I know the criticism is not going to go away but I have dealt with a lot of things in my football career and this is just another one," said Doll.

"I am not thinking of resigning and will fight on. We all need to keep believing in ourselves."

Out of the domestic Cup and the Champions League -- where they have lost all four games -- it is turning into a nightmare season for Hamburg.