Bundesliga
Undefeated Union Berlin chalked up their third victory of the season with top-scoring Sheraldo Becker and substitute Sven Michel both netting doubles to add to Morten Thorsby and Janik Haberer goals against winless Schalke.
Schalke 1-6 Union Berlin
Goals: 0-1 Thorsby 6' (assist: Doekhi), 1-1 Bülter 31' (pen.), 1-2 Becker 37' (assist: Jordan), 1-3 Haberer 45'+3, 1-4 Becker 46', 1-5 Michel 87' (assist: Ryerson), 1-6 Michel 90' (assist: Behrens)
Union arrived in Gelsenkirchen boasting their best-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign. A win against RB Leipzig last weekend meant that Urs Fischer's side were brimming with confidence against a Schalke team looking for their first win this season. No surprise then, when the visitors hit the front in the opening exchanges. Niko Gießelmann's flighted cross to the far post was headed back across goal by Union debutant Danilho Doekhi. Another recent arrival to the Union ranks, Morten Thorsby, nodded in from close range on his first Bundesliga start. Roared on by a boisterous home crowd, the Royal Blues responded. Frederik Rönnow saved to deny Simon Terodde and Malick Thiaw but an even better opportunity arrived for Frank Kramer's men when Union's Robin Knoche handled in his own box. Having missed from the spot in last weekend's scoreless draw against Wolfsburg, Terodde handed the responsibility to Marius Bülter, who struck into the corner. Home relief was short lived. Jordan and Sheraldo Becker have been tormenting defences throughout the early stages of 2022/23 and they combined again here, the former teeing up his teammate whose shot took a heavy deflection off Thiaw's heel before rolling in. Worse was to follow for Die Knappen when Janik Haberer's speculative strike from distance was palmed into the net by Alexander Schwolow.
If there was a party atmosphere over towards the red corner of the Veltins-Arena during the half-time break, it grew even wilder seconds after the restart. The ever-alert Doekhi powered a header into the path of Jordan and after the USMNT international was muscled off the ball, Becker was there following up with a drilled finish for 4-1. Rodrigo Zalazar did his best to lift home spirits but the 23-year-old couldn't find a way past Rönnow. The action soon swung back the other way with Thorsby sending a tasty left-footed shot crashing against the crossbar. The woodwork would come into play again when Diogo Leite inadvertently diverted against the base of his own post. The signs that this was Union's day were clear when Sven Michel pounced on a defensive lapse to add his side's fifth. When the same player volleyed his team's sixth, Schalke's misery was complete.
Watch: Becker on his rich vein of scoring form
Schalke: Schwolow – Brunner, Thiaw, Yoshida, Ouwejan – Drexler (Larsson 61'), Kral (61'), Krauß (Flick 61'), Zalazar (Mollet 71' )– Terodde (c) (Polter 71'), Bülter
Unused subs: Fährmann, Kamiński, Matriciani, Mohr
Out: Harit (not considered), Sane (match fitness)
Coach: Frank Kramer
Union: Rönnow – Doekhi (Jaeckel 84'), Knoche, Diogo Leite – Ryerson, Thorsby (Pantovic 75'), Khedira (c), Haberer (Öztunali 84'), Gießelmann – Becker (Michel 71'), Jordan (Behrens 71')
Unused subs: Grill, Trimmel, Schäfer, Haraguchi
Out: Baumgartl (match fitness)
Coach: Urs Fischer