Jaroslav Drobny produced an impressive goalkeeping display as Hamburger SV frustrated Schalke 04 to claim a point in a goalless draw in Gelsenkirchen.
The visitors were put under pressure from the first whistle, with Drobny being forced into a save to keep out Tranquillo Barnetta's low strike, moments before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar rattled the crossbar with a powerful header.
Drobny came to the rescue on two further occasions before the 10-minute mark as Barnetta and Huntelaar were once again left frustrated by his heroics.
Hamburg offered very little going forward in the first half, and the travelling supporters were left breathing a collective sigh of relief once again when Drobny got a strong hand to a firm header from Benedikt Howedes.
A lapse of concentration in the Schalke defence almost gifted a goal to the visitors before the break, but the unmarked Artjoms Rudnevs could only fire wide from a promising position.
After watching his opposite number steal the show in the first half, Schalke's Ralf Fahrmann followed Drobny's example by reacting smartly to keep out a low effort from Lewis Holtby.
Despite the scare, Schalke continued to look the more likely of the two sides to break the deadlock as they pushed the visitors back once again.
However, the lead could have belonged to Hamburg had Fahrmann not managed to keep out Mohamed Gouaida's curling effort from the edge of the box.
There was still time for a late onslaught from Schalke, who were left disappointed when Roman Neustadter struck the post with a speculative strike in the closing stages.
Callum Mulvihill
