Schalke beat KSV Hessen Kassel 5-0

Junior Adamu comes into the starting XI

Miron Muslic made one change from the side that started the previous friendly against Fagiano Okayama in Austria, with Junior Adamu leading the line in place of Moussa Sylla. The rest of the starting XI remained unchanged from a week earlier, while Kenan Karaman again captained the side. New signing Maximilian Wöber was included in the squad for the first time since joining S04 and appeared for the first time in the final half an hour.

Two late goals put Schalke in control before the break

Just two minutes had been played when Adil Aouchiche delivered the first set piece of the afternoon from the left, although the KSV defence dealt with it comfortably. Joel Richter then looked to break forward at the other end, only for Mertcan Ayhan to catch him and win the ball (6’). Five minutes later, Jan Dahlke appeared to poke a lofted pass beyond Loris Karius and into the net, but the striker had strayed offside.

Kenan Karaman registered the first effort of the game in the 13th minute, heading Aouchiche’s corner straight at Kassel goalkeeper Jonas Nikisch. The keeper was alert again two minutes later, racing out to intercept the Schalke captain’s through ball towards Junior Adamu. Nikisch was accidentally caught by the forward in the process, prompting referee Tim Waldinger to briefly stop play. Robin Gosens, who had picked up a knock, was then replaced by Vitalie Becker.

Jonas Nikisch initially continued but was also forced off shortly afterwards. Before his substitution, Schalke had beaten him for the first time, although Junior Adamu was offside before setting up Adil Aouchiche for what would otherwise have been the opening goal (20’). The Royal Blues took complete control from that point onwards. Tyron Duah made a sliding block to deny Kenan Karaman from 15 yards (30’), before Aouchiche fired over following another lay-off from Adamu in what was the best chance of the game up to that point (35’).

Schalke did not have to wait much longer to break the deadlock. Ron Schallenberg won possession as the hosts attempted to play out from the back and immediately found Kenan Karaman. S04’s number 19 turned inside the penalty area and finished from close range to open the scoring. S04 doubled their lead four minutes later. Vitalie Becker was released down the left, looked up and drilled the ball across goal towards the far post, where Junior Adamu was waiting to turn it in from five yards. A promising low drive from Dejan Ljubičic in first-half stoppage time failed to add to the scoreline, leaving Schalke 2-0 ahead at the break.

Schalke pull clear after the interval

Moussa Sylla replaced Junior Adamu at half time and was soon a threat in the final third, although the angle proved too tight after he found space on the left side of the penalty area (51’). Adil Aouchiche made no mistake eight minutes later, guiding the ball into the bottom-left corner from 15 yards to make it 3-0 and cap an impressive performance.

Adil Aouchiche and Kenan Karaman both had excellent chances to add another, but it was Moussa Sylla who scored Schalke’s fourth. He tried his luck from 20 yards in the 63rd minute and benefited from an error by Finn Sauer, who allowed the shot to slip through his hands. The chances continued to mount for Schalke. Kenan Karaman sent a left-footed effort narrowly wide of the post (67’) before firing Sylla’s pass over the bar a minute later.

Substitute Satoshi Tanaka made it 5-0 in the 74th minute. After being found by Soufiane El-Faouzi on the edge of the penalty area, the midfielder took aim and rifled a shot into the right side of the net. A number of substitutions disrupted the flow of the game in the closing stages, but Schalke remained on the front foot. Luca Vozar’s run was halted inside the penalty area with five minutes remaining in what proved to be the final moment of note in a thoroughly commanding performance from the Royal Blues.

First home game of the season up next

Next Saturday (8/8) will see S04 play at home for the first time this season. As part of this year’s Schalke Day, the Royal Blues will host Italian side Atalanta at the VELTINS-Arena. The friendly will kick off at 17:00 CEST.