FC Schalke 04 secured a dramatic 2-2 draw against Hannover 96 on the final day of the 26th round in the 2. Bundesliga. Schalke opened the scoring in the 29th minute when Edin Dzeko finished a precise 12‑metre pass from Kenan Karaman. Less than ten minutes later, Karaman headed in the equaliser from a cross by El‑Faouzi in the 38th minute, putting Schalk’s visitors at a 2-0 advantage. In the 52nd minute Schalke were reduced to ten men when Dzeko received a straight red card, but he still managed to hold onto their lead.
Hannover struggled to find rhythm and were unable to benefit fully from their numerical superiority after Dzeko’s dismissal. Their first significant chance came at the 81st minute, when Enzo Leopold missed a penalty that could have tipped the game in their favour. Just a few minutes later, Maik Nawrocki hit the net from a corner, restoring the visitors’ hope of a comeback. In the final moments of the match, with only seconds left, Benedikt Pichler sent a decisive goal through the net in the eighth minute of added time, levelising the score at 2-2.
The draw leaves Schalke two points ahead of second‑placed Darmstadt in the standings, while Hannover remains in fifth place. Schalke will next face Darmstadt in their clash on Saturday, whereas Hannover will be meeting Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday. Parallel fixtures on Sunday afternoon saw 1. FC Kaiserslautern defeat Karlsruher SC 3-0, while Dynamo Dresden hammered Preußen Münster 6-0.
