"We're brutally happy that we can enjoy the feeling of victory. It's probably a feeling like being in love for the first time," Schalke coach Dimitrios Grammozis said after watching his first win with the team and their first victory since January..

In Sunday's other match in the German top flight, Mainz secured a late 3-2 win in the relegation battle at Cologne to move two points above the drop zone.

At Schalke, birthday boy Serdar's goal in the fourth minute, their first at home in six games, proved enough to secure their rare win.

Schalke, however, still remain bottom of the table and with a very complicated mission to avoid relegation, 13 points away from safety.

"We deserved the win, I deserved the goal. We all fought and supported each other, that's the only way to succeed," Serdar said.

Earlier in the season, Schalke went on a winless run of 30 games, narrowly avoiding Tasmania Berlin's league record of 31.

In Cologne, Mainz opened the scoring after Jean-Paul Boetius scored his first goal of the season, but Ondrej Duda equalised for the hosts from the spot shortly before the break.

Cologne then took the lead thanks to Ellyes Skhiri's effort in the 61st minute, but celebrations didn't last long as Karim Onisiwo levelled things up again four minutes later.

But Mainz nicked the points in injury time, Leandro Barreiro slotting home in the 92nd minute to secure the win.

Mainz moved up to 14th place and sit two points above the relegation zone.

Cologne dropped to 17th, in the direct relegation places, and left the play-off spot, now occupied by Bielefeld, with a three-point advantage.

Australian Associated Press