In a lively 2. Bundesliga match on Saturday evening, FC Schalke 04 clinched a 5‑3 victory over 1. FC Magdeburg, moving back to the top of the table, while the visitors had to settle for the 16th‑place relegation spot.
The game opened with a brave Magdeburg effort, but Schalke gradually took control. In the 15th minute the home side took the lead after a slick combination involving Kenan Karaman and Edin Džeko left Adil Aouchiche in a position to tap in an own goal - 1‑0 to Schalke. Just two minutes later, Alexander Nollenberger bounced a rebound high in the box and calmly struck the far post, levelising the score at 1‑1. The first half stayed lively, with Schalke’s dominance growing, especially through Džeko’s threat on the edge of the box.
Near the break, Aouchiche delivered a precise cross to the far post where Džeko headed a goal from a close range, giving Schalke a narrow 2‑1 advantage. The half‑time whistle followed this slender lead, though defensive lapses by Schalke would later be exposed.
Soon after the restart, Magdeburg earned a penalty following a handball near the corner. Captain Kenan Karaman stepped up, converting the spot‑kick to bring his side back within one goal - 3‑1. Not deterred, Magdeburg’s Mateusz Zukowski answered in the 53rd minute with a beautiful long‑range strike into the right‑hand corner, making it 3‑2.
Schalke pressed again. In the 65th minute, Džeko ran past the right side, created a clear cut in the box, and set a perfect pass for Dejan Ljubić – who finished to make it 4‑2. Three minutes later, another mistake by Magdeburg’s defense gave Karaman a quick tap‑in from a short back pass, pushing the score to 5‑2 in Schalke’s favour. Yet the visitors continued to fight, and in the 83rd minute an error in the build‑up left Zukowski unchallenged in the 5‑3 penalty area, where he calmly slotted the ball home.
In the final minutes, Schalke largely ran out of the game, with goalkeeper Reimann producing several key saves that kept the scoreline at 5‑3. Magdeburg increasingly ran out of energy as time ticked on. Kenan Karaman received a yellow card in stoppage time (90+6), and the referee blew the whistle after six minutes of added play to signal the end of the match.
In summary, Schalke’s 5‑3 triumph showcased a potent attack fronted by Džeko and a duo of scorers in Karaman, but their defensive frailties were again exploited by the visitors. Despite three goals of their own, Magdeburg finished the game without a point, leaving them still trapped in the relegation zone.
