FC Schalke 04 secured a 5-2 victory over Hallescher FC in the first round of the DFB Pokal, although the match ultimately required extra time.
The hosts from the Nordost Regionalliga took the lead early on. On the 45th minute, Vin Kastull put HFC ahead after scoring from a corner kick amidst the congestion.
In the second half, Schalke increased the pressure and equalized in the 62nd minute through Dejan Ljubicic. The goal stemmed from a pass by Adamu to Aouchiche, whose sharp delivery was put perfectly in the path of Ljubicic, who finished from close range.
Just a few minutes later, in the 81st minute, Edin Dzeko netted the leading goal for Schalke via a penalty kick. The spot-kick was awarded following a foul on Sylla inside the box, and Dzeko converted it cleanly by placing the ball centrally while the goalkeeper rushed to the wrong corner.
At this point, the game seemed to be settled, but Halle had a surprise in store: Niclas Stierlin scored a goal from a corner in the 91st minute of regulation, bringing the score to 2-2 and sending the game into extra time.
However, Schalke did not wait long to solidify their lead: Moussa Sylla scored in the 98th minute following a cross from El-Faouzi, and Junior Adamu added a third in the 105th minute, effectively crushing any remaining hopes for Halle. However, their troubles continued when Vin Kastull was injured and forced off the pitch, preventing any substitutions, leaving the hosts with only ten men. Schalke proceeded to weather the situation coolly, with Edin Dzeko scoring the final decisive goal in the 117th minute.
Despite a committed effort from Hallescher FC, who held their own well in the first half, Schalke’s superior individual class ultimately prevailed. The visitors dominated large stretches of the match and thus rightfully advanced to the next round.
