Darmstadt come from behind to win 5-3 at Schalke

Kalas makes his return, first start for Antwi-Adjei

Head coach Karel Geraerts made four changes to the team that lost last time out away at Karlsruher SC. Tomas Kalas made his return after his patellar tendon injury to feature for the first time since the opening game of the season against Eintracht Braunschweig. The centre-back played alongside Marcin Kaminski, who, like Mehmet Can Aydin and Christopher Antwi-Adjei (making his first start for the club), came into the starting XI. Emil Højlund, who had been out recently with a groin issue, was in the squad for the first time since matchday 2.

Felipe Sanchez and Martin Wasinski joined Højlund on the bench. Janik Bachmann was ill during the week and therefore failed to make the squad. Adrian Gantenbein suffered a thigh muscle injury in training and will be out until the next international break.

Mohr’s stunner gives Schalke the lead

Schalke started brightly and had their first shot after less than two minutes. Marcin Kaminski played a long ball down the left flank to Derry John Murkin. He chested the ball into the middle, where Christopher Antwi-Adjei missed it, but Moussa Sylla got on the ball and then shot with his left foot. His attempt was pushed to safety by goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen. Schalke had more of the ball and were the more dangerous side early on, and that resulted in them taking the lead with almost a quarter of an hour played. Amin Younes was fouled right on the edge of the box and Tobias Mohr delicately placed a free-kick over the wall and into the back of the net, with Schuhen rooted to the spot (14’).

Darmstadt’s first opportunity came after 23 minutes: Killian Corredor’s effort from range was spilled by Justin Heekeren, though he got up in time to gather the ball before Fraser Hornby could get to it (23’).

Sylla and Schallenberg add further goals – Hornby gets one back from the spot

Schalke doubled their lead in the 34th minute. On the edge of the box, Kenan Karaman played it to Antwi-Adjei on his right and he then gave it to Sylla in the centre. Schalke’s number 9’s shot was deflected by Clemens Riedel onto the post, then his follow-up saved by Schuhen. The move didn’t end there though – at the third attempt, Sylla eventually bundled the ball over the line. Four minutes later, Ron Schallenberg got his first goal for the club to make it 3-0. Marcin Kaminski’s free-kick from range hit the Darmstadt wall and ballooned up in the air, teeing up Schallenberg in the box and he dinked it over the onrushing Schuhen.

VAR intervened in the third minute of injury time to advise referee Florian Heft to award Darmstadt a penalty after Moussa Sylla had handled the ball from a corner. Fraser Hornby stepped up and converted from the spot to get the Lilies back in the game.

Lidberg levels it up

The first two chances of the second half belonged to Schalke. Marcel Schuhen made two good saves to tip efforts from Amin Younes (51’) and Kenan Karaman (53’) both past the post. Despite that, Darmstadt began strongly and reduced the deficit further in the 57th minute. Kai Klefisch’s shot hit the post, and Luca Marseiler played it to Isac Lidberg, who did the rest.

S04 were now really struggling to get out of their own half as Darmstadt pushed for an equaliser – and they got one too. Marcin Kaminski failed to properly control the ball and that allowed Lidberg to race in behind and curl one into the top corner (75’).

Darmstadt win it late on

Three minutes later, Tomas Kalas made a crucial tackle on substitute Fynn Lakenmacher, with Tobias Kempe then striking over the bar.

After Schalke had a chance to restore their lead – Murkin fired over after a pass from Lasme (81’) – the visitors scored two more goals late on to steal all three points. Lidberg got his hat-trick from a second ball from a corner (86’) and then Sergio Lopez got SVD’s fifth in the seventh minute of injury time.

Away at Münster next

Matchday 7 sees the Knappen play away at SC Preußen Münster on a Saturday night (28/9, 20:30 CEST).