First Bundesliga goal after 1,203 days! FC Schalke 04 win in Berlin - referee has to be replaced
The wait is over: led by Robin Gosens, promoted side Schalke 04 have celebrated their first win in the Bundesliga for more than three years.
The defender sparked his beloved club with their first royal blue goal in the top flight for 1,203 days, in a 3-1 (1-0) win against his former club Union Berlin. Just under a week after drawing 0-0 with Bayern Munich, the Gelsenkirchen side backed it up with another eye-catching result.
Gosens sent the travelling fans wild in the 25th minute after two games without a Schalke goal at the start of the season. The 24-cap international did not celebrate in front of Union's Waldseite stand. Adil Aouchiche (46, after a video review) and Maximilian Wöber (90+13) also scored. Tim Skarke (90+6) grabbed the interim 2-1.
Schalke's previous Bundesliga goal had come through Marcin Kaminski and Willi Orban via an own goal in the 4-2 defeat at RB Leipzig on 27 May 2023. Their previous win in the top flight had come on 5 May that same year, when Schalke beat FSV Mainz 05 3-2 in their relegation season.
First Bundesliga win since returning: Gosens lifts Schalke
Union, meanwhile, must stay patient under coach Mauro Lustrinelli, and the second defeat in their third league game was badly timed too: next week, the Iron Ones visit Bayern Munich on Friday (8.30pm).
Schalke had taken confidence from the game against the record champions the previous week. "Very few people in German football expected us to get a point against Bayern," coach Miron Muslic had said. The match in Berlin, however, would be "much more vertical, much more direct, much more physical".
Back in the starting line-up was captain Kenan Karaman after a hip injury. Robin Gosens, who had made his Bundesliga debut in a Berlin shirt in 2023, also returned to the starting XI.
Referee Timo Gerach has to be replaced
Union controlled the opening minutes, but the visitors gradually grew into the game. Karaman then had Schalke's first big chance: the 32-year-old got his shot away just in front of the edge of the box, but sent it narrowly over the bar (10). Soon after, Union keeper Frederik Rönnow denied Aouchiche (20). Moments later, Gosens made no mistake and lifted his arms almost apologetically.
Aouchiche then missed a huge chance to make it 2-0. The attacking player raced through on Rönnow, who got a touch on the ball, before Tom Rothe cleared just in front of the line (34). After the break, Aouchiche took his chance. The game stayed hard-fought, and Rönnow and his opposite number Loris Karius were called into action more often.
Referee Timo Gerach gave everyone a breather when he needed treatment for an injury (60), and after an interruption of just under nine minutes, fourth official Jarno Wienefeld took over and unexpectedly made his Bundesliga debut. Late on, Union kept the pressure on, and Skarke gave them hope again in the 12 minutes of added time.
