2. Bundesliga: Džeko inspires leaders Schalke to five-star win

After a slow start to the game, Adil Aouchiche’s fortuitous strike opened the gate for two teams who would only benefit from three points. Schalke’s deadline day signing was on a difficult angle when he received the ball from Edin Džeko, but his ambitious effort ended up in the net after a huge deflection from Jean Hugonet.

Magdeburg only needed seconds to respond with Alexander Nollenberger beating Kevin Müller with a beautiful curler. The Heidenheim loanee made his Schalke debut in place of Loris Karius, who was nursing a back injury.

The next chance of the game fell to Dejan Ljubicic, who is yet another new signing by Schalke in a hectic January window for the club. However, Dominik Reimann was barely troubled in Magdeburg’s goal as his routine saves from two weak efforts by Džeko.

The Bosnian had his first big chance in the 35th minute, but his curling effort narrowly missed the target. Three minutes later, the legendary striker put Schalke in front once again with an effortless header from Aouchiche’s delivery. It was a fourth goal in three Veltins Arena appearances for the 2009-10 Bundesliga top-scorer.

Schalke still allowed two clear-cut chances at the other end before the half-time break, but Mateusz Żukowski failed to test Müller from a promising position before Falko Michel rattled the crossbar from Barış Atik’s free-kick delivery.

Aouchiche’s deliveries continued to cause problems at the other end as Schalke awarded a penalty-kick inside the first five minutes of the second-half. Philipp Hercher’s inexplicable handball was punished by Kenan Karaman, who calmly slotted it home from 12 yards.

However, Magdeburg scored immediately once again as Żukowski beats Müller from outside the box. The Polish striker reached double-figure goals despite only making his 2. Bundesliga debut on matchday 13 due to an injury.

Schalke’s strong defensive record has been plummeting in 2026, but they did finally score more than three goals for the first time this season. First, Ljubicic netted his first Schalke goal after an unselfish play by Džeko.

Three minutes later, Karaman became the first Schalke player to reach ten goals for the season as the captain capitalized on Lubambo Musonda’s mistake. Reimann’s double save from Moussa Sylla and Aouchiche’s quickfire shots prevented a sixth goal with more than 15 minutes still left to play.

However, it was the visitors who scored the eighth goal of a cracking football match. After a sequence of mistakes in Schalke’s backline, Mertcan Ayhan conceded a penalty-kick for a foul on the lively Żukowski. The 24-year-old gladly took the opportunity to score his 11th 2. Bundesliga goal in as many appearances. 

Schalke have conceded three goals in a game for the first time this season, but the three points were the most important thing on an enthralling night of football at Veltins Arena.

Schalke are back in first place after Darmstadt and Elversberg climbed above them with home wins over Fortuna Düsseldorf and Eintracht Braunschweig earlier today. Magdeburg could drop to 17th place if Dynamo Dresden beat promotion hopefuls Hannover tomorrow.

Magdeburg will host ninth-placed Karlsruhe next week, while Miron Muslić’s side will be away at Greuther Fürth. Both of their opponents won their respective games on matchday 23.