The 26th round of the 2. Bundesliga ended with a 2-2 draw between FC Schalke 04 and Hannover 96. Schalke earned an early lead when Edin Džeko converted a 12‑metre pass from Kenan Karaman in the 29th minute. Just before half‑time, Karaman himself added a second goal, heading in a corner from El Faouzi in the 38th minute. Despite a red card for Džeko in the 52nd minute, Schalke maintained their advantage for the majority of the game – Hannover struggled to find a rhythm and were unable to convert their numerical superiority into goals.
In the second half, Hannover dominated possession but remained largely harmless in attack. A turning point came in the 81st minute when Enzo Leopold missed a penalty. Three minutes later, Maik Nawrocki broke the deadlock from a corner kick, re‑igniting the contest. In a dramatic finish, Benedikt Pichler struck the equaliser in the 8th minute of added time, salvaging a point for the visitors.
Schalke now sit two points ahead of second‑placed Darmstadt, while Hannover remain in fifth place. The next matchday sees Schalke host Darmstadt, whereas Hannover face Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday. Meanwhile, other midweek games concluded with a 3‑0 win for 1. FC Kaiserslautern over Karlsruher SC and a 6‑0 thrashing of Preußen Münster by Dynamo Dresden.