FC Schalke 04 saved an important point in the relegation battle with a penalty goal by Marius Bülter in injury time. The Royal Blues, who remained unbeaten in the second half of the season, won 1-1 (0-0) at FC Augsburg on Saturday, who had to settle for a draw in their 200th home game in the Bundesliga after four successes in their own stadium.
Even without a goal by his attacker Mergim Berisha, who was nominated for the national team for the first time, Augsburg were initially on course for victory. The 24-year-old's top scorer job was taken over on Saturday in front of 30,360 spectators in the sold-out WWK Arena midfielder Arne Maier (51st minute).
In his third goal of the season, the 24-year-old benefited from a gross blunder by Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann. He hit the ball from his penalty area technically unclean exactly to Maier, who scored after a double pass with Ermedin Demirovic into the short corner. The jubilation had hardly died down, when assist-giver Demirovic saw the red card (53.). The Augsburg attacker hit Schalke's Tom Krauss in the jump with his foot stretched in the middle of the face. Referee Daniel Schlager recognized gross foul play.
In the majority, the hitherto offensively harmless Schalke pushed for the equalizer. The substitute Simon Terodde missed the goal at the biggest opportunity (71.). In injury time, the attacker was fouled impetuously by FCA captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw. Bülter converted nerve-strong from the point (90.+3). The injury time lasted a total of ten minutes. Augsburg is still seven points ahead of Schalke in the table.
The cameras and eyes in the sold-out Augsburg Arena were of course particularly focused on Berisha. The appointment by national coach Hansi Flick gave the 24-year-old attacker an additional boost. "This is a dream come true," said the 2021 European Junior Champion, who can now recommend himself to the big ones. He had "worked long and hard for it," said FCA's eight-time goalscorer this season.
Against Schalke, hard work was also announced. Berisha came into action in the first minute, but his header landed on the net. The Schalke defense marked him tightly as a result. A dangerous cross from Berisha defused central defender Maya Yoshida (42nd) in the penalty area. The biggest chance opened up Elvis Rexhbecaj, whose placed flat shot Schalke goalkeeper Fährmann was just able to fend off with his right hand to the corner (23.). Augsburg dominated, but many actions fizzled out.
And Schalke? Stand at the back largely stable except for Fährmann's lapse. But too little happened going forward. A shot by Bülter was the most dangerous action for a long time (19th). Coach Thomas Reis also replaced the early yellow-red endangered midfielder Eder Balanta. Reis relied on two centre forwards, the double force of Michael Frey and Terodde in the penalty area paid off late.