Schalke rally past fourth-tier Hallescher in extra time to reach DFB-Pokal second round

FC Schalke 04 advanced to the second round of the DFB-Pokal on Monday after a hard-fought 5-2 victory over fourth-tier Hallescher FC, requiring extra time to secure the win. The Bundesliga newcomer trailed at halftime before goals from Dejan Ljubicic, Edin Dzeko, Moussa Sylla, Junior Adamu and another from Dzeko sealed the result in front of 14,000 fans in Halle.
Hallescher FC took the lead in the 45th minute through defender Vin Kastull, who capitalized on a corner. Schalke equalized in the 62nd minute via Ljubicic, but Dzeko’s penalty in the 81st minute was answered by Niclas Stierlin’s 90th+1 strike, forcing extra time. Sylla, Adamu and Dzeko then scored in the additional period to complete the comeback.
Schalke trainer Miron Muslic had left Dzeko and Robin Gosens on the bench initially, with both players entering the match after the hour mark. Dzeko, 40, finished with two goals and an assist, drawing praise from Muslic for his "quality in the box" and "positional play." Gosens, a loan signing from AC Florence, noted Dzeko’s "unfathomable presence" and experience as key to the turnaround.
Hallescher FC’s Kastull, a 21-year-old defender, embodied the underdog’s spirit, scoring the opener and later conceding the penalty that led to Dzeko’s first goal. Kastull was substituted in the 115th minute after a collision with his own goalkeeper, finishing the match from the bench. His coach, Robert Schröder, lauded Kastull’s defensive passion and revealed he had urged the player to make his name known.
Elsewhere, Hamburger SV cruised past third-tier SC Verl 3-0, with 16-year-old Louis Lemke netting the third goal. Albert Grønbæk added two first-half strikes for the Bundesliga side, which played with black armbands in memory of long-time investor Klaus-Michael Kühne.
VfL Wolfsburg also progressed, overcoming fourth-tier VSG Altglienicke 6-5 on penalties after a 3-3 draw through 120 minutes. Torwart Jakub Zieliński saved two spot-kicks, while Kilian Fischer converted the decisive penalty. In Würzburg, 1. FC Köln edged Würzburger Kickers 2-1, with Ísak Jóhannesson scoring both goals for the visitors.
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