A goal by Isaac Vorsah and an own goal by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer helped Hoffenheim beat Schalke 2-0 on Friday for its third straight victory in the new Bundesliga season.
Schalke finished runner-up last season but Felix Magath's team has started the season with three straight defeats and is still without a point despite several new signings.
One of them, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, had a second-half shot palmed against the crossbar by Hoffenheim's goalkeeper Tom Starke.
"This is great," Starke said. "We did everything right. This is a textbook start."
Hoffenheim tops the standings with three wins from three games and is resembling the team that delighted fans in its first Bundesliga season two years ago.
Huntelaar had several more chances, but his former Real Madrid teammate Raul Gonzalez remained ineffective.
Vorsah beat Schalke's defense and rose to meet a cross from Andreas Beck and beat Neuer with a well placed header inside the left post in the 37th minute.
Neuer kept Schalke in the game by denying Hoffenheim's striker Vedad Ibisevic several times, including a save with his leg in a one-on-one situation.
But Neuer was caught by surprise by a free kick from Sejad Salihovic in injury time. The ball bounced off the post onto Neuer's chest and into the net.
