Karaman and Sylla on the scoresheet in 2-2 draw against Dynamo Kyiv

Debut for Sanchez

Felipe Sanchez made his first appearance in Schalke colours. The Argentine defender, who joined the club just after the start of the training camp in Mittersill from Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, started the game on the left of a 3-5-2 formation. He played the first half as Geraerts used 21 players, just as he did against FC Midtjylland in midweek. Only Justin Heekeren played the full game.

Karaman header to equalise

Schalke had the first big chance of the afternoon in Austria. After just 122 seconds, Amin Younes shifted the ball onto his right foot, before striking a low shot towards goal right on the edge of the box. Kyiv goalkeeper Georgiy Bushchan tipped the effort clear, only for Tobias Mohr to hit the post from a tight angle. Moussa Sylla then failed to make anything of the loose ball.

The Ukrainian side, who are in Champions League qualification action in 10 days time, had their first chance almost immediately afterwards. Former Dortmund man Andriy Yarmolenko, who, like several of his teammates, had been in action at EURO 2024, got a shot away in the box, but it was a comfortable save for Justin Heekeren in the Schalke goal. His opposite number Bushchan then held a header from Kenan Karaman from a Tobias Mohr cross in the seventh minute.

The first goal of the day was scored by Kyiv after 14 minutes. Oleksandr Tymchyk’s cross from the right-hand side found Anton Tsarenko in the middle and his first-time shot left Heekeren with no chance. They looked to have scored a second goal six minutes later, however referee Christopher Jäger chalked off Vitaliy Buyalskyi’s free-kick due to a foul in the S04 wall. Moments later, Heekeren was quickly off his line to block a shot from Tymchyk after he was slipped in behind by Yarmolenko (24’).

The Royal Blues levelled things up with just over an hour played. Paul Seguin’s free-kick from deep was headed home by captain Kenan Karaman. Marcin Kaminski came close to making it 2-1 just before half time, striking a free-kick from 25 yards out just past the post (41’).

Sylla scores his seventh goal in pre-season

The second half started somewhat slowly and without any real key moments. Although both teams were getting stuck in, there were few chances to speak of in the opening exchanges after the break.

Moussa Sylla came close to giving Schalke the lead in the 55th minute. Substitute goalkeeper Ruslan Neshcheret’s pass didn’t have enough on it and Schalke’s striker raced in to get a shot off, which the Ukrainian shot-stopper got down to hold on to. Sylla was still able to continue his fantastic form though, scoring just two minutes after that missed opportunity. Derry John Murkin played a long ball forward for the Mali international to sprint on to and he then superbly hammered the ball across the goalkeeper and into the far corner for his seventh goal of pre-season so far (57’).

Vladyslav Vanat equalised for Dynamo Kyiv nine minutes later. The Ukraine international received the ball after some nice play by Oleksandr Pikhalyonok and then produced an unstoppable finish with his left foot into the far corner. Karel Geraerts had made seven changes just before the goal, as well as three at the start of the second half.

With Kyiv also making several substitutions in the second half, the final 25 minutes lacked the flow of the rest of the game and the ball spent most of the time in the middle of the park. The only notable moment late on was Vladyslav Vanat’s turn and shot in the 80th minute, but he couldn’t get the better of Justin Heekeren.

Back to Gelsenkirchen, next friendly in Verl

The one-week training camp at the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern will end on Sunday (14/7) as the Knappen head home to Gelsenkirchen. The next friendly in pre-season is on Thursday (18/7) away at third-division side SC Verl. Kick off at the SPORTCLUB Arena is at 18:30 CEST.