2025 ends with defeat in Braunschweig

Porath and Gomis named in the starting XI

Head coach Miron Muslic made two changes to the team that beat 1. FC Nürnberg 1-0 last weekend. Finn Porath replaced Mika Wallentowitz on the right flank, with the 17-year-old dropping to the bench. Christian Gomis came in for Christopher Antwi-Adjei, who was ruled out with Achilles tendon pain. Henning Matriciani was also unavailable due to a stomach bug.

A quiet first half

The hosts made the brighter start and showed the first attacking intent. In the fifth minute, Loris Karius read the danger well after a long ball towards Christian Conteh, rushed off his line and cleared for a throw-in. Two minutes later, the Royal Blues registered their first attempt. Moussa Sylla delivered a left-footed cross from the left side of the box, Christian Gomis met it with a header but couldn’t generate enough power, allowing Ron-Thorben Hoffmann to collect comfortably.

Chances were few and far between before the break, with Braunschweig having the better of what opportunities there were. The closest they came was in the 11th minute, when Robin Heußer won his duel with Hasan Kuruçay on the right side of the box, cut the ball back and Leon Bell Bell struck it first time, his effort rolling just wide of the post.

Neither goalkeeper was required to make a notable save in the opening period. Loris Karius was alert to get down quickly and deal with a low shot from Robin Heußer from around 15 yards (26’). Moments later, after a cross from Christian Conteh was glanced on by Vitalie Becker to Johan Gomez, Schalke’s keeper remained untroubled as Gomez fired over the bar (40’). At the other end, the Royal Blues repeatedly let promising attacking situations fizzle out through inaccurate passing.

Aydin gives Braunschweig the lead

At the break, Felipe Sanchez replaced Vitalie Becker after he picked up a knock in the first half. The pattern of the game remained largely unchanged, with the hosts continuing to look the more threatening side going forward. In the 58th minute, Loris Karius came to Schalke’s rescue, making a strong save to deny Leon Bell Bell after the attacker had got a shot away inside the penalty area.

Just past the hour mark, Eintracht took the lead. Inside the box, Soufiane El-Faouzi’s attempted clearance inadvertently diverted the ball away from Johan Gomez and into the path of Mehmet Can Aydin, who struck first time from the right of the area. His low effort squeezed through a crowd of Schalke bodies and into the net to make it 1-0 to Braunschweig. Two minutes later, Karius once again kept the Royal Blues in the contest, denying Christian Conteh after a quick counter-attack had sent the winger clear.

Sané adds a second – El-Faouzi pulls one back

In the 67th minute, Moussa Sylla spurned Schalke’s best chance up to that point. From an Amin Younes corner, the forward rose at close range but headed over the bar. The Royal Blues pushed higher up the pitch in search of an equaliser, which in turn opened up space for Braunschweig on the break. That proved decisive in the 85th minute, when Sidi Sané, played through by Erencan Yardimci, finished a counter-attack with a left-footed strike into the far corner to make it 2-0.

Schalke responded late on. Moussa Sylla was initially denied by Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, but Soufiane El-Faouzi reacted quickest to the rebound and turned the ball home from nine yards to reduce the deficit to 2-1 (88’).

The Royal Blues pressed for an equaliser, but it would not come. Sylla fired over the bar after a headed knock-down, although the goal would not have stood anyway due to an offside position involving Kenan Karaman in the build-up (90+2’). Moments later, Mika Wallentowitz came agonisingly close, heading a deflected cross against the outside of the post from a tight angle (90+3’).

Friendly in Osnabrück, first league game of 2026 in Berlin

Sunday’s game in Braunschweig was Schalke’s final match of 2025. Miron Muslic’s team will kick off the second half of the season on Saturday, 17th January 2026 (20:30 CET) away at Hertha BSC. Their preparations for that match include a friendly a week prior (10/1, 14:00 CET) at third-division side VfL Osnabrück.