FC Schalke 04’s U19s recorded a high-scoring test match victory a week before the DFB Cup semi-final.

The Bundesliga season is already over for the FC Schalke 04 U19 footballers. They missed out on participation in the championship finals by a hair’s breadth.

Nevertheless, a highlight awaits coach Norbert Elgert’s team. They have the chance to win the DFB Cup for the first time since 2005. Schalke are in the last four and will face Mainz 05 in the semi-finals next Sunday (2 April, 11 am).

A week earlier, the S04 talents gained match practice – and above all self-confidence – in a test match, as they swept away SC Verl 9:0, who had at least managed to stay in the U19 Bundesliga.

Schalke were without their youth internationals Keke Topp (Germany U19), Tristan Osmani (Austria U21), Philip Buczkowski (Poland U18) and Niklas Barthel (Germany U18).

This did nothing to dampen the Elgert eleven’s enthusiasm for the game. A good quarter of an hour had passed on the training ground in Gelsenkirchen before the hosts were already leading 4:0. Mattes Hansen (6th), Kelsey Meisel (9th) and Yannick Tonye (11th, 17th) had scored.

Semin Kojic (33rd) and Max Grüger (45th) added to the lead before the break. In the second half, Romeo Ferreira (52.), Nedzhib Hadzha (59.) and Ngufor Anubodem (61.) increased the lead. A double-digit victory was not achieved.