FC Schalke 04 breathes a sigh of relief: On Saturday, S04 celebrated a 3-2 home victory against the top team from Hannover 96.

No one was left on the edge of their seats in the 77th minute: Kenan Karaman had just pushed the ball into the net to make it 3:1 for FC Schalke 04 in the second division match against Hannover 96, when substitutes and co-trainers ran onto the pitch and threw themselves at the scorer, so many stones fell from the royal blue shoulders.

Schalke managed a 3:2 (1:0) tremor victory and coach Karel Geraerts the first success in the second game. Neither the coach nor the Schalke fans were interested in the fact that it was very fortunate and due to an optimal use of chances.

Before the game, Geraerts had demanded that his players be “warriors” and that he would only field those who would be “real men”. This led to six changes compared to the 0:3 defeat at Karlsruher SC, and two prominent players were also caught out: captain Simon Terodde and the previous head of defense Timo Baumgartl sat out.

Geraerts stuck to his 3-5-2 tactics, however, and it was quite surprising that he used Derry John Murkin in the three-man backline and the out-of-form Henning Matriciani as a track player on the right. What suited Schalke’s offensive play well: Kenan Karaman returned to the team as a striker after serving his suspension, he looked much more energetic, more mobile, technically stronger than Terodde. In the lively opening phase, Karaman was also involved in the first chance: He sent Bryan Lasme on his way with a clever pass, but he failed to beat Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler. Eight minutes had passed.

Hannover, who arrived fourth in the table, needed ten minutes to adjust to the 62,207 spectators and their opponents. Then, in the eleventh minute, Andreas Voglsammer stormed up and away – but he was intercepted by Tobias Mohr before he reached the edge of the penalty area. A strong action by the Schalke left-back. From this scene on, Hannover was the technically stronger team, attacking again and again via the left side. Derrick Köhn often went on the dribble against Matriciani and asserted himself almost every time. Matriciani was the weak point in Schalke’s defense.

In the 18th minute, Köhn took a corner against Matriciani. It landed on the head of Marcel Halstenberg, who headed unchallenged past the right post. That could have been the lead for Hannover. Köhn himself also had a good chance: In the 37th minute, he duped Matriciani again, but failed to beat goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann. The fact that Schalke’s defense held between these two actions was thanks to improved tackling, a stronger running performance and many fouls by the Schalkers.

The Schalkers didn’t get back into the penalty area until the 42nd minute – and right away they made it 1-0, a goal that seemed to come out of nowhere. Matriciani lifted the ball into the penalty area, where Karaman and Halstenberg rose high. Halstenberg won the header duel, but the ball landed at Lasme’s feet, who easily pushed the ball into the goal. Great relief in the arena, it was not a nice game, the lead was not even deserved – but no one thought about that among the Schalkers.

Hannover was not shocked at all. Just two minutes after the Schalkers’ goal celebration, they had a huge chance to equalize. Köhn – once again – sent in Voglsammer, but Ralf Fährmann blocked the ball with his foot. It remained a happy 1-0 for the Königsblauen at the break.

The second half started evenly – until the 52nd minute when Schalke’s Ron Schallenberg lost the ball in the opponent’s half. Hannover used the ball win to launch a counterattack that ended with Derrick Köhn on the sidelines when Schalke’s defense had already sorted itself out again. Köhn, however, loaded the weak Matriciani another time, played a back pass to the free-standing Enzo Leopold and he scored flat into the corner for 1:1. All the Schalker defenders were asleep in the center.

From then on, Hannover, analogous to the first half, was the technically better team, which was much closer to the second goal than Schalke. And had the chances: In the 59th minute, Voglsammer extended a cross with his heel to the outside netting. Three minutes later, Cedric Teuchert failed to beat Fährmann. In the 67th minute, Jannik Dehm shot just past the left post. The Schalke team made many easy mistakes. The deficit was in the air.

The Schalkers only managed occasional counterattacks. The driving force in midfield was Lino Tempelmann, by far the best player in his team. Most of the attacks came from the left. Tobias Mohr had a few good actions there. Their first chance after the change came in the 72nd minute: substitute Assan Ouédraogo played a cross-field pass to Tempelmann, who fired from 20 meters and the ball hit the center of the net. 96 goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler didn’t see well, but all of Schalke cheered. About the optimal chance utilization, about a goal that did not correspond to the course of the game. Luck returned to Schalke.

The next proof came five minutes after the second goal: At the halfway line, Derry John Murkin blocked a pass from Voglsammer. The ball flew into the path of Karaman, who ran alone toward the goal, loaded Zieler and scored the 3:1. The jubilation was great – but that was not the preliminary decision. In the 90th minute, Fährmann and Voglsammer collided after a long shot into the penalty area. Fährmann boxed the ball away, but also caught Voglsammer. Referee Timo Gerach ruled for a penalty. All the Schalkers protested wildly, to no avail. Halstenberg reduced the score to 2:3.

A long six minutes of injury time began, which Schalke survived with luck and skill. Now two away games follow – in the cup in St. Pauli (Tuesday, 6 p.m.) and then in Nuremberg (Saturday, 1 p.m.).