Schalke 04 secured a crucial home victory against VfL Bochum in the third round of the 2. Bundesliga, winning 2-1.
The early stages of the match were relatively subdued with limited attacking opportunities for either side. The game intensified in the 25th minute when a handball inside the penalty area led to a penalty for Schalke. However, Bochum’s goalkeeper, Karius, made a save, denying the initial attempt.
Chances remained scarce until the closing moments of the first half, with Antwi-Adjei finding himself one-on-one with the Schalke goalkeeper, Horn, but failing to convert. As a result, the teams entered halftime with the score still level.
The second half saw Schalke demonstrate increased attacking intent, though Bochum ultimately broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Hofmann set up Pannewig, whose shot was initially saved by Karius, but Holtmann was on hand to tap in the rebound.
Schalke responded swiftly, equalizing in the 75th minute through a goal from Porath, who fired a shot from 16 meters that slipped past the Bochum goalkeeper. Just four minutes later, Schalke completed the turnaround with a goal from substitute Lasme, who neatly evaded a defender before slotting the ball past Horn.
Bochum pushed for an equalizer, but Schalke’s Horn proved resilient, denying efforts from Becker and Sylla in the 86th minute. Kleine-Bekel then intervened to prevent Sylla from scoring into an empty net in the 88th minute. Despite the late pressure, Bochum ultimately suffered defeat, while Schalke celebrated a valuable victory on home soil.