2. Bundesliga
Schalke enjoyed a winning start to the 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 season with a 2-1 victory at home to Hertha Berlin in the campaign opener.
Schalke 2-1 Hertha
Goals: 1-0 Sylla (16'), 2-0 Katić (23'), 2-1 Grönning (89')
Sent off: Katić (90'+8)
The 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 season kicked off in style at a packed Veltins Arena as two of German football's traditional heavyweights faced off in Gelsenkirchen. For new Schalke head coach Miron Muslić, making his competitive debut after arriving from Plymouth Argyle, this opening fixture represented the perfect opportunity to make an immediate impression.
Urged on by a vociferous home crowd of over 62,000, Schalke started the match with tremendous intensity. Within the opening 10 minutes, Moussa Sylla, Ron Schallenberg and Christopher Antwi-Adjei all had attempts on goal as the hosts signalled their attacking intent.
The breakthrough came in the 16th minute when 20-year-old Peter Remmert, one of Muslić's surprise selections, battled with Márton Dárdai and laid the ball off to Sylla, who confidently slotted home from 11 metres. Hertha nearly responded when Deyovaisio Zeefuik rose highest from a corner, but Loris Karius produced a fine save.
The Royal Blues doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute when Nikola Katić, a summer signing from FC Zürich, powerfully headed home Antwi-Adjei's precise corner.
Schalke continued to dominate and should have made it three before half-time, but Remmert missed a golden opportunity, spooning over from just 10 metres after Ernst had parried a cross.
Hertha coach Stefan Leitl made a change at the break, introducing Niklas Kolbe for the struggling Dárdai, and his side showed far more purpose in the second half. The visitors gradually pushed Schalke back and began to dominate possession, with Julian Eitschberger nearly catching Karius out with a mishit cross.
Fabian Reese, a former Schalke youth player, had the best chance to pull one back when he was played through by Maurice Krattenmacher, but Karius stood firm with a crucial save. Both coaches turned to their benches as the half progressed, with Muslić bringing on Max Grüger, Bryan Lasme and Emil Højlund to inject fresh energy into his tiring side.
Leitl's substitutions eventually paid dividends in the 89th minute when two replacements combined to give Hertha hope – Marten Winkler delivering a sharp cross for Sebastian Grönning to convert from close range. The drama increased when Katić received a second yellow card for handball deep into stoppage time, but Schalke's ten men held firm to secure all three points.
Moussa Sylla delivered a performance that epitomised Schalke's energy and clinical edge on the opening day. The striker not only scored the crucial opening goal with a composed finish but was a constant menace to the Hertha defence throughout his 77 minutes on the pitch.
Sylla recorded a match-high six shots, forcing Ernst into another fine save in the 19th minute, and his movement repeatedly stretched the visiting backline. His link-up play with young talent Remmert proved particularly effective in the first half, providing Muslić with a promising attacking partnership to build upon.
Even when Hertha improved after the break, Sylla remained a threat on the counter-attack, testing Ernst again with a powerful drive in the 67th minute before making way for Højlund. A compelling display that set the tone for Schalke's victory.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Schalke 1.63 - Hertha 0.76
Fastest player: Adrian Gantenbein (S04), 33.88 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Moussa Sylla (S04), 17 percent
Most pressed player: Diego Demme (BSC), 22 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Soufiane El-Faouzi (S04), +2.38