4-3 defeat against Greuther Fürth

Younes and Seguin brought in – maiden squad appearance for Noode

Head coach Kees van Wonderen made two changes to the side that started against Hannover 96 last week. Amin Younes and Paul Seguin began in place of the suspended Kenan Karaman and Tobias Mohr (bench). Steve Noode was named among the substitutes for his debut in the matchday squad, while Bryan Lasme was ruled out late on due to problems that surfaced after final training.

Seguin narrowly misses – Massimo and Michalski put Fürth ahead

The visitors from Franconia put early pressure on Schalke, who took to the field in special kit to mark 50 years of Deutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid), and initially enjoyed more possession. However, it was the home side who had the first chance to open the scoring. In the eighth minute, Derry John Murkin broke through on the left in the opponent’s penalty area and played the ball back to Paul Seguin, whose shot from just over 20 yards flew just inches wide of the top-right corner. Fürth created danger of their own shortly after. Simon Asta’s low cross from the right had to be put behind for a corner by Tomas Kalas under pressure (14’).

Just 120 seconds after Taylan Bulut had narrowly missed the target with a left-footed shot (21’), SpVgg took the lead. Following several passes in midfield, Branimir Hrgota threaded the ball into the path of Roberto Massimo, who timed his run through the centre perfectly and slotted it past Ron-Thorben Hoffmann with a low shot. Four minutes later, Damian Michalski extended the visitors’ lead. Julian Green’s deep free-kick towards the back post found the run of the centre-back into the six-yard box, and he placed his header over Hoffmann and into the net. After a lengthy VAR check for offside, the goal was confirmed.

First senior goal for Grüger – Massimo restores Fürth’s two-goal lead

Schalke quickly responded with a goal to close the gap. After Fürth keeper Nahuel Noll pushed a shot from Taylan Bulut behind for a corner, Paul Seguin delivered the ball into the box, where Tomas Kalas headed it down to Max Grüger, who reacted quickly to fire in his first professional goal (32’). However, Schalke’s joy was short-lived, as Roberto Massimo re-established the two-goal cushion in the 39th minute. Gian-Luca Itter launched a long ball down the left, and Massimo controlled it with a single touch before picking out his spot just inside the post from 20 yards.

Four minutes later, the Fürth forward missed a clear chance to make it four alone in front of Hoffmann, while Paul Seguin hit the wall with a free-kick from a promising position for Schalke and Lino Tempelmann’s follow-up from the edge of the box took a deflection and sailed over the bar (45+3’). The teams headed to the dressing rooms with Schalke trailing 3-1.

Sanchez sent off early in the second half

Shortly after the restart, the Royal Blues found themselves down to ten men. Felipe Sanchez, who had already received a yellow card in the first half, was shown a second booking by referee Patrick Alt following a foul on Branimir Hrgota (48’).

With the numerical advantage, the visitors went after a fourth goal. Simon Asta’s low left-footed shot from inside the box was saved by Hoffmann (51’), but 11 minutes later, Greuther Fürth did extend their lead. Gian-Luca Itter broke down the left to the byline, entered the box, and pulled the ball back for Noel Futkeu, who found the net from six yards out to make it 4-1.

Seguin and Bulut’s goals not enough for a point

With ten men, Schalke struggled to create further chances. Moussa Sylla’s shot from inside the penalty area was deflected for a corner (69’), while down the other end, Roberto Massimo missed a golden opportunity to well and truly kill the game (75’). Schalke managed to reduce the deficit in the 78th minute when substitute Mehmet-Can Aydin laid the ball off to Paul Seguin, and he fired a powerful shot low into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards out.

S04 suddenly found a bit of momentum and Nahuel Noll had to make an impressive save when Moussa Sylla connected with an Aydin cross eight yards out (87’). The Fürth keeper couldn’t do anything to stop Schalke getting another goal back in the first minute of added time though. Aydin’s curling shot from the left edge of the box hit the right post, and Taylan Bulut converted the rebound to make it 4-3. The hosts pressed for an equaliser in a frantic final phase, but the fourth goal never came.

Cup clash with Augsburg

The home match against Fürth marked the start of a busy week for Schalke. On Tuesday (29/10), the team will be back in action in the second round of the DFB-Pokal, travelling away to FC Augsburg. Kick-off at the WWK Arena is at 18:00 CEST.