Schalke reached the second round of the DFB Cup after extra time. Bryan Lasme scored the 1-0 winning goal against regional league team Leipzig.
FC Schalke 04 had 107 minutes of DFB Cup action behind them, including a stoppage due to alleged insults, numerous fouls, interruptions, chances conceded, and opportunities squandered. But the second division side could not break the deadlock in a heated atmosphere at regional league club 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig. Then a cross from Soufiane El-Faouzi flew into the penalty area, defender Nikola Katic laid the ball off, and substitute Bryan Lasme scored with a low shot. Schalke won 1-0 after extra time and will receive a bonus of around €423,772.
Schalke had expected a difficult game, and a difficult game it was. This was also due to the opponent, a fourth-division team that trains under professional conditions. In recent years, the club from the Propstheida district of Leipzig has made considerable efforts to shake off its negative image and, as regional league champions, came close to promotion to the third division. The Bruno-Plache-Stadion may be getting on in years and not meet the standards of modern football arenas, but where else can you find a main stand carpeted in blue and a locomotive in front of the fan curve?
It was the 13th minute of the game when Leipzig did not promote tradition or the push towards professional football. Schalke’s Christopher Antwi-Adjei wanted to take a throw-in in front of the main stand, but stopped and went to referee Dr. Max Burda. A minute-long interruption followed, apparently because Antwi-Adjei had been insulted. Only after a warning from the stadium announcer did play resume, but from then on Antwi-Adjei was booed by all the Leipzig fans.
It was also a tough game for Schalke in front of 11,900 spectators in a stadium that had been sold out for two weeks. Although Schalke had significantly more possession, as coach Miron Muslic had expected, the Royal Blues, who had made five changes to their line-up, failed to create many chances. The difference in class was only noticeable in the first 15 to 20 minutes, when Schalke impressed Leipzig. The longer the score remained 0-0, the more momentum the fourth-division side gained. And the interruption helped the underdogs.
Regular time consisted of many tackles and headers, but rarely any fluid combinations. Both teams had chances to take the lead. Leipzig came close to taking a 1-0 lead just before the half-time break when Ayodele Adetula twice failed to beat goalkeeper Justin Heekeren, who was brilliantly standing in for Loris Karius (41st/43rd). In stoppage time, Djamal Ziane lobbed Heekeren, who had rushed out of his goal, but Felipe Sanchez cleared the ball.
Schalke’s three best chances all fell to striker Moussa Sylla (19th, 63rd, 85th). In the 63rd minute, he found himself alone in front of goalkeeper Andreas Naumann, but shot straight at him. Five minutes before the end, he hit the crossbar. The score remained 0-0 after 90 minutes. “Propstheida again!” chanted the fans in the “Bruno,” as the Leipzig fans call their stadium, looking forward to extra time. And Schalke? According to coach Muslic, they had just completed their “most intense week of training,” but there was little evidence of that.
It was only in extra time that Schalke gained a clear advantage and pushed for the opening goal. This time, only they had clear chances, not the fourth-division team. Moussa Sylla (101′) and Bryan Lasme (104′) were denied by goalkeeper Naumann, who was in inspired form during this phase. The score remained 0-0 after the first half of extra time, and a penalty shootout was looming. But Schalke kept at it and prevailed: Lasme scored the winning goal in the 107th minute. Schalke had survived the heated cup battle.