Last-minute defeat after a dramatic match in Wolfsburg

Serdar given his competitive debut

Domenico Tedesco made just one change to his team after the win in Schweinfurt last weekend. The Germany U-21 international, Suat Serdar, was handed his first competitive appearance for Schalke, coming in for Nabil Bentaleb.

Brooks scores for the Wolves

In the first exchanges of the game in the Volkswagen Arena there were not many chances, with both teams looking to find their feet in the new season. Schalke showed their defensive stability which they had demonstrated so often last season once again. The first real chances in the game came from set-pieces with Ralf Fährmann expertly picking out William’s free kick on 22 minutes. The deadlock was then broken from a Wolfsburg corner. John Anthony Brooks was almost completely free at the back post and was thus able to head home Maximilian Arnold’s corner for 1-0.

VAR called upon twice

The second half was certainly not one for the faint-hearted. Similar to the first half, there was little to discuss in the opening exchanges, something that would soon change. Referee Patrick Ittrich had to stop the game on several occasions, with his decisions not always being the correct ones. Midway through the second period the game sparked into life. Firstly, Matija Nastasic was shown a yellow card by Ittrich after a high tackle on Weghorst. The referee then took a look at the replays and decided to change his decision to a red card, leaving Schalke with just ten men. Just under two minutes later the game saw even more drama. Wout Weghorst was again involved, tussling with Guido Burgstaller in the box. The referee decided this time that the Wolfsburg man should be sent off, before again consulting VAR. The footage then convinced the referee to change his decision again, thus keeping Weghorst on the field with just a yellow card.

Schalke, now playing with one less man, were forced to re-group to try and find the equaliser. Substitute Breel Embolo had the chance on 83 minutes after being set up by Mark Uth. His shot was however well saved by home shot-stopper Koen Casteels. The Royal Blues continued to press and eventually found the equaliser two minutes later; Nabil Bentaleb converting his second penalty in as many games after Brooks had fouled Embolo. But this wasn’t to be the last goal of the game. In the fourth minute of added time, Wolfsburg’s new signing Daniel Ginczek tapped home a rebound after Fährmann had denied Yannick Gerhardt to break Schalke hearts.