Schalke 04 began their Bundesliga campaign this afternoon against Hamburger SV, watched by over 60,000 fans at the AufSchalke Arena.
The hosts went ahead inside 60 seconds through Klass-Jan Huntelaar, but Hamburg turned things round to lead after 25 minutes as Rafael van der Vaart's penalty was followed up by an own goal from Timo Hildebrand.
Huntelaar levelled the match just before the break but early in the second half Hamburg were back ahead thanks to a header from Lasse Sobiech.
Jens Keller's side chased an equaliser late on and ensured the match finished all-square when substitute Adam Szalai tucked home from close range on his debut.
Look back at a six-goal thriller to savour from the Bundesliga with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Afternoon Bundesliga fans. Thanks for sticking with Sports Mole for the second match of our Sunday afternoon double header from Germany, with Schalke taking on Hamburger at a packed AufSchalke Arena!
TEAM NEWS! With kickoff imminent there is just time give you both starting XI's, which feature Huntelaar, Van der Vaart and Jefferson Farfan to name just a few of the key players on show!
SCHALKE: Hildebrand; Uchida, Matip, Höwedes, Fuchs; Jones Neustädter; Farfan, Draxler, Clemens; Huntelaar
HAMBURG: Adler, Diekmeier, Sobiech, Westermann, Jansen, Badelj, Arslan, van der Vaart, Calhanoglu, Beister, Zoua
GOAL! Schalke 1-0 Hamburg (Huntelaar)
With barely time to introduce the two sides Schalke have ripped their opponents apart to open the scoring after 90 seconds. Draxler spotted a clever dart inside from Huntelaar and duly supplied a precise forward pass. The Dutch hitman spotted Adler off his line and decided to take aim, swerving a low strike into the bottom corner with authority. What an unbelievable start for the hosts, roared on by 60,000 fans!
YELLOW CARD! Hamburg look stunned and their frustration at conceding so early is quickly summed up by Van der Vaart. The captain takes exception to a robust challenge from Howedes, before berating the referee for not awarding a free kick. The official is no mood for his angry protests and quickly awards the game's first caution to the Dutchman.
Jones leads another forward charge for Schalke after meeting Draxler's deflected pass on the right wing, but his burst is quickly blocked off by Jansen as Hamburg clear the lines. The visitors finally enjoy a spell of possession from deep as they look to find a foothold in this match after a horrendous start.
PENALTY TO HAMBURG! A chance for the visitors to equalise as Matip is found guilty of handling inside the area. Van der Vaart will take in search of an equaliser!
GOAL! Schalke 1-1 Hamburg (Van der Vaart)
Van der Vaart confidently tucks home to level the scores, slamming just inside the post to send Hildebrand the wrong way and restore parity. What a start to the match, which has seen two goals quickly produced at either end by a pair of Dutch internationals.
Worryingly for Schalke teenage playmaker Draxler has limped to the touchline in pain, after getting a kick to the back of his leg in a challenge with Badelj. After treatment on the sideline Draxler rejoins the match, hoping to run off that knock as Farfan just fails to meet a long diagonal pass.
Hamburg have definitely settled since that slightly fortuitous equaliser, with Arslan enjoying a pair of assured touches in central midfield. It must said that the atmosphere at the AufSchalke is absolutely electric, with the noise not dampened in the slightest by Van der Vaart's spot kick.
Van der Vaart looks really up for this match as he wins a corner kick on the far side, before volleying towards goal when the cross comes in after Hildebrand failed to gather. This has been a morale-boosting response from Hamburg, while Draxler continues to struggle for Schalke and jogs back to the touchline for further treatment.
SUBSTITUTION: Schalke have indeed been forced to make an early change, with Draxler unable to continue. His replacement is quite an exciting one though, with summer signing Leon Goretzka given a chance to impress in midfield.
GOAL! Schalke 1-2 Hamburg (Hildebrand O.G.)
A wonderful sweeping break from Hamburg has seen the visitors turn things round to stun the AufSchalke. Maximilian Beister rose highest to meet a superb curling cross in the penalty area. His header came off the crossbar before hitting Hildebrand and crossing the line. A terrific header from the midfielder, but that will surely have to go down as an own goal for the unlucky goalkeeper.
OFF THE BAR! Schalke look all at sea defensively as Hamburg go within a whisker of extending their advantage. Van der Vaart's curling free kick caused chaos in the penalty area, with Badelj's flick header coming off the top of the crossbar before bouncing behind. Inches away for the visitors, who are exposing Schalke in wide areas now thanks to consistent overlaps down both flanks!
The referee whistles for a break in play to allow treatment for Beister, who took a knock on the head. When play resumes Schalke look to regain some momentum in midfield, with Farfan driving inside and flashing a teasing cross into the penalty area out of Huntelaar's grasp.
YELLOW CARD! Hamburg attack with menace down the left flank through Calhanoglu, who finds some room before flashing wide of the target after a reflection. Schalke then have a counter cynically halted by Arslan's lunge on Huntelaar, with the Turkish midfielder picking up a caution he knew was coming.
Neustädter concedes possession cheaply in midfield as Schalke struggle to find their rhythm after falling behind. Hamburg look to seize the initiative in the final third, but Zoua just drifts offside after taking up a position in space on the far side.
Schalke win a free kick out wide in the final third after Diekmeier brings down Fuchs, but Farfan's whipped cross is headed clear by Sobiech. When play resumes Van der Vaart goes down in heap under a challenge from Fuchs, but the referee decides the award of a free kick is punishment enough.
YELLOW CARD! Fuchs once again launches into a clumsy challenge on Van der Vaart and is this time given a caution he fully deserves. The Dutchman recovers to take the free kick, with his effort cleared at the second time of asking. Schalke attempt to break through Neustädter, who loses possession after dithering in central midfield.
Uchida gets forward on the right wing and wants a corner kick for his efforts as we head into stoppage time, but the linesman decides that Jansen shielded the ball without making contact.
GOAL! Schalke 2-2 Hamburg (Huntelaar)
HALF-TIME Schalke 2-2 Hamburg
With the last touch of the first half Huntelaar has headed Schalke level. Christian Clemens won a corner for the hosts deep into stoppage time, taking himself to find Fuchs with a short pass. The full-back swept a cross high towards the back post which found Huntelaar unmarked at the far post. His header went back across goal and did just enough to beat a sprawling Alder, levelling a pulsating match moments before the interval.
Despite Huntelaar's brace Schalke struggled for much of that first period, beaten to the ball with alarming regularity by a hungry Hamburg. The visitors have looked alert in midfield and strong down both flanks, but all their enterprising play has been undermined by a pair of defensive lapses at either end of the first period.
Schalke have struggled to control the ball in midfield, with their cause not helped by Draxler going off injured early on. Keller's side have also looked pretty woeful in defence, missing the presence of Kyriakos Papadopoulos at centre-back.
You feel that Hamburg had to maintain their advantage until the break, after giving so much to recover in the first half. Diekmeier and Biester have been very impressive for the visitors, while Van der Vaart has managed to match his undoubted talent with effort and endeavour so far this afternoon.
This unpredictable match is just moments from resuming, with Schalke under pressure from a raucous home crowd to make that equaliser from Huntelaar count in search of three points. Expect Hamburg to give Artjoms Rudnevs a late cameo if the score stays level, with the Latvian just missing out on a start in attack today through injury.
Schalke get the second half underway and immediately look for Clemens on the left flank, with a long diagonal pass just headed away from its intended target. Hamburg use that misplaced pass to keep possession deep in their own half, before Sobiech decides to smash clear under pressure.
SHOT! Clemens goes close to finding the net after smashing a fierce drive towards goal from distance. His effort has Adler scrambling across goal but goes just beyond the far post.
GOAL! Schalke 2-3 Hamburg (Sobiech)
An incredible match takes another twist as Hambug reclaim the lead thanks to a header from Lasse Sobiech. The summer signing from Dortmund raced clear of his marker to meet Van der Vaart's inviting corner, guiding a powerful header beyond Hildebrand from close range. Schalke just will not learn their lesson at the back as poor concentration levels are punished once again!
Badelj is slightly fortunate to escape a caution after going into a challenge with studs showing in central midfield. Hamburg are then able to recover after Van der Vaart conceded possession inside his own half, with an offside decision going against Diekmeier on the right wing.
Farfan does brilliantly to rob Westermann inside the penalty area, but dithers in possession before eventually being crowded out from a tight angle. At the other end Beister lacks support as he bursts into the final third, with both sides definitely capable of adding more goals to this entertaining clash.
SUBSTITUTION: Schalke decide the time is right to introduce a second striker, with summer signing from Mainz Adam Szalai replacing Roman Neustädter. A positive more born out of necessity there from Keller, as his side chase a way back into this frenetic opening match.
That change has opened this match up even further, if that is even possible, as Farfan and Zoua take turns to lose their footing inside the final third. Schalke are furious as Matip is penalised after beating Van der Vaart to the ball, with some anger still brooding from an earlier decision that went against Farfan.
SUBSTITUTION: Hamburg are this time angry with the referee as Schalke continue forward despite Calhanoglu going down injured near the halfway line. Eventually Uchida kicks the ball out, with the Turkish winger fine to continue when play resumes. The visitors then decide to make a change as Badelj is replaced in central midfield by the fresh legs of Tomas Rincon.
SHOT! Farfan catches Hamburg napping with a quick free kick, but Adler is equal to a powerful drive that stays central enough for the goalkeeper to parry clear. The visitors are definitely dropping deeper as Jansen is forced into a hurried clearance under pressure from Huntelaar, who has been quiet so far in this second half.
SAVE! Uchia and Farfan combine with a exchange down the right wing, sending a teasing cross towards Huntelaar in the six-yard box. The Dutchman looks destined to nestle his third and level the match as he arrives onto the high cross with purpose, but his header is straight at Adler who parries clear with a fine reaction save. Schalke may well rue that miss from their talisman as we enter the closing stages.
GOAL! Schalke 3-3 Hamburg (Szalai)
Schalke are deservedly level through substitute Adam Szalai, who nets on his debut after taking advantage of a mistake from Adler. The goalkeeper failed to catch a drive from distance, spilling Clemens' drive straight to Szalai. The forward made no mistake and you have to make the hosts favourites now to go on and claim all three points!
SUBSTITUTION: Hamburg make a change as they look to take home a point their hard work probably merits. Dennis Aogo is on to replace Calhanoglu in midfield, with a remit of helping to halt Schalke's second-half onslaught.
Aogo gets forward and helps Hamburg launch a counter through Van der Vaart, who finds Zoua in the penalty area with a chipped pass. The makeshift striker's scuffed shot trickles well wide of the target, with Van der Vaart penalised for offside as he becomes active at the far post.
Diekmeier falls heavily on the far side and the full-back needs treatment to a neck problem, forcing a break in play that leaves Schalke frustrated. When play resumes the visitors win a corner kick thanks to the industry of Jansen, who worked hard to evade two challenges on the left flank.
Hamburg are adamant that they should be awarded a penalty kick after Höwedes blocked a shot from Rincon heading towards goal with last-ditch clearance. The referee disagrees as Schalke eventually scramble clear at the second time of asking.
SUBSTITUTION: Hamburg make a positive late change as Beister is replaced by last season's joint-top scorer Rudnevs, who has just under five minutes left to make a telling impact.
Westermann quickly snuffs out a sight of goal for Szalai as Schalke press in the final third. The ball breaks for Uchia out wide but his curling cross is blocked away by Jansen, with Hamburg dropping as Aogo concedes a free kick after fouling Farfan.
SHOT! What a miss from Matip, who somehow manages to hammer wide from six yards out. The defender stood over a bobbling ball and somehow had time to pick his spot in a crowded penalty area, but a low miscue saw his shot fly wide of the bottom corner by some distance. Will that be the last chance at either end today?
Van der Vaart wins a late corner kick for Hamburg and decides to take himself, curling a high cross just beyond Rudnevs at the far post. At the other end Sobiech concedes a free kick after bundling into the back of Huntelaar, giving Schalke one more chance to load up the box in added time.
FULL-TIME Schalke 3-3 Hamburg
In the end both sides are forced to settle for an opening-day point in a quite brilliant finish to week one of the Bundesliga. Hamburg were resolute away from home and full deserved their point, with Huntelaar's brace not enough for Schalke as they were held at home.
A topsy-turvy match started brilliantly for Schalke, but Huntelaar's strike inside 90 seconds was quickly cancelled out by two goals for Hamburg. Schalke recovered and nearly claimed all three points in the closing stages, but Hamburg just about held firm to share a six-goal thriller in Gelsenkirchen. What a start to the 2012-13 Bundesliga season!
That just about does it for our coverage from the AufSchalke today. Thanks for joining Sports Mole and be sure to stay with us all season for comprehensive coverage from every match in the Bundesliga.
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
