On the 24th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga, Greuther Fürth and Schalke 04 shared the spoils in a 1‑1 draw.
Schalke came out with intensity, putting pressure on the hosts early on. In the opening minutes, new winter signing Edin Džeko tested Fürth goalkeeper Silas Prüfer with a well‑placed attempt into the far corner. Džeko even managed to block a put‑back from the keeper, but the ball narrowly missed the goal. Despite dominating the midfield, the blue‑and‑white team initially struggled to find a gap in Fürth’s compact defence.
Fürth struck first. In the 12th minute, Branimir Hrgoža delivered a dangerous cross from the right into the penalty area. Dennis Srbeny outpaced Nikola Katic, curled the ball past Kevin Müller, and from eight metres he tipped a neat finish that gave the hosts a 1‑0 lead.
The goal gave Fürth a clear lift. Schalke, though controlling more possession, found it increasingly difficult to break down Fürth’s tight defence. Many of their attacks stalled at the edge of the box, and finishing came in short supply.
After the halftime break, Schalke increased the pressure. Fleeting deliveries into the area, often targeting Džeko, ricocheted off the posts and walls. A potential penalty after a gentle poke at Dejan Ljubičić was denied by VAR, as was a Fürth goal in the 67th minute when Srbeny found himself marginally off‑side in a chaotic scene. The match grew more intense, and a spate of yellow cards followed on both sides.
In the 75th minute, Schalke finally rewarded their persistence. After a long ball, Džeko kept the ball, Ljubičić swung a long-range shot from about 23 metres, and the ball flew uncatchable into the right‑hand corner. It was a dream‑like strike that levelled the score at 1‑1.
With the draw, Schalke retain the top position but miss out on points in the promotion race. Fürth, meanwhile, shows once again that they remain a serious contender despite their overall table position, and each win is vital in the fight to stay in the division, where the bottom five teams are separated by no more than two points.
