After the best start to the season, Union Berlin greeted them from the top of the table for at least three hours, Schalke 04 are waiting for their first win in the Bundesliga in more than 15 months. The promoted team conceded a sobering 1: 6 (1: 3) home defeat against the Irons and was extremely naive when it came to defensive work.
The numerous blunders were used above all by the double goal scorer Sheraldo Becker (37th and 46th). In addition, the mercilessly effective Berliners, who after their first win against Gelsenkirchen, moved up to first place with ten points, scored Morten Thorsby (6th), Janik Haberer (45th + 3rds) and Sven Michel (87th / 90th. +1). It was the biggest win in Union Bundesliga history.
Ex-Berliner Marius Bülter managed to equalize 1:1 in the meantime with a penalty kick (31st). The Royal Blues, most recently victorious in the Bundesliga on May 15, 2021, are already deep in the relegation battle with two points from the first four games.
Schalke coach Frank Kramer was able to fall back on Dominick Drexler after his red suspension. His Berlin counterpart Urs Fischer changed his starting lineup to three positions compared to the 2-1 win against RB Leipzig. That’s how Danilho Doekhi and Thorsby made their debuts in the starting XI.
Both had their heads in the game when they scored the opening goal: After a cross from Niko Gießelmann, the third changeover, Doekhi headed into the middle, where Thorsby extended into the net. It was the hosts’ first goal in the first half.
Now the Royal Blues, the team with the least possession of the ball in the first three match days, were challenged. Union, with a similarly low rate, was waiting for moments to switch. Ex-Schalke Frederik Rönnow in the Union goal saved the lead against Simon Terodde (8th).
Schalke gets penalties
When the ball jumped into Robin Knoche’s hand after a Maya Yoshida header, Schalke vehemently demanded a penalty. But neither referee Robert Hartmann nor video assistant Sascha Stegemann followed suit (25th). Five minutes later, the referee immediately awarded a penalty when Knoche played the ball with his hand again. After Terodde’s two failed attempts to make it 0-0 in Wolfsburg, Bülter grabbed the ball and converted confidently – just like in the 2-2 win against Mönchengladbach.
Schalke defender Malick Thiaw involuntarily helped in Berlin’s opening goal when he deflected an untenable shot from Becker. As the Berliners cheered in front of their fans, a photographer fell into the ditch at the edge of the field. After minutes of silence in the stands, the all-clear was given, he had not been seriously injured.
At 1: 3 goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow looked bad because he reacted very late – however, the ex-Herthan player could only see Haberer’s violent shot late. Only 20 seconds after the restart, Becker was suddenly completely free after a tackle from Yoshida and decided the game early.
FC Schalke 04 – Union Berlin: The coach voices
Frank Kramer (Schalke 04 coach): “It was a very painful defeat – the amount, but also the way it came about. We took it well in the first half, had our chances, but gave away the goals too easily. Union prevailed with physicality, we have to defend ourselves better, get through better. The fourth goal we conceded pulled the plug on us, we lost faith. It was very painful and sobering for us.”
Urs Fischer (Coach Union Berlin): “It will be important to classify this result correctly. The 3-1 lead at the break was rather lucky, Schalke were better in the game in the first half, more aggressive, more agile than us. What was good: We were very efficient. After the 4th: 1 the game really went in one direction, in the end it was too high a result.”
FC Schalke 04 – Union Berlin: The data for the game
