Kick off in 2nd Bundesliga
FC Schalke celebrates starting to measure – Hertha wakes up too late
Updated on 01.08.2025 – 10:38 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
At the start of the new second division season, a duel between two traditional clubs was presented to football fans. It was only exciting for a short time.
FC Schalke 04 put a successful start to the new second division season and celebrated a 2: 1 (2: 0) victory against Hertha BSC at the start. In front of a sold-out house in the domestic Veltins Arena, the eleven of new coach Miron Muslić showed an energetic and running performance and let the equally ambitious competitors from the capital not to develop at all over almost the full distance.
Moussa Sylla (16th minute) and newcomer Nikola Katić (23rd minute) scored the Schalke goals in the first half. A double strike that Hertha didn’t seem to recover from for a long time. But in the 89th minute, Sebastian Grönning still made the connection. It was exciting again. Schalke’s defense chief Katić got the yellow-red card for a handball in the eighth minute of added time, but the victory remained the royal blue.
Except for Captain Kenan Karaman (not yet at 100 percent after his knee injury), Muslić could not put his top team on-and did not expect the kick-off. “Schalke is a force, a giant. I am happy like a small child,” said the Austrian in advance. The Schalke north curve finally made Bundesliga atmosphere with an impressive choreo.
Contrary to many expectations, royal blue dominated the game from the start. The Berliners, who were identified in a balanced league as the biggest favorite and had also spent this goal offensive, did not get their quality on the lawn at all. Above all, Fabian Reese, trained in the Schalke club, – most recently titled by national coach Julian Nagelsmann as a difference – dived.
A long throw-in by Christopher Antwi-Adjei landed on the head of Sylla, Hertha striker Dawid Kownacki, ultimately clarified on the line (13th). Just three minutes later, Sylla was then allowed to insert and cheer after a will performance by Peter Remmert. Muslić clenched the fist towards the north curve, hugged the goal scorer, who could still leave the S04 and bring in a decent transfer fee – and immediately called for focus.
His team stayed tuned, especially Antwi-Adjei was found almost everywhere. A direct free kick from the 31-year-old scratched U21 national goalkeeper Tjark Ernst from the line, the subsequent corner served Antwi-Adjei on the head of Katić. The preliminary decision was removed on his own, but failed freely from a few meters (40th).
And the guests? In the person of Deyovaisio Zeefuik they had the only good opportunity in half-time one, but his header was slight prey for Schalke keeper Loris Karius (20th). And even after the change of sides, the capital club remembered little. However, because Schalke could not add up again (59.), the encounter remained exciting – and, after Grönning’s hack hit, still had a real final sprint ready.