It was the 61st minute in the friendly match between second division autumn champions FC Schalke 04 and third division club VfL Osnabrück when Schalke player Amin Younes hit a long pass forward. VfL defender Jannik Müller headed the ball clear in the direction of Schalke’s top scorer Moussa Sylla. He took heart and shot straight at the goal from 30 meters away. And with a touchdown the ball hit the right corner because goalkeeper Niklas Sauter was positioned incorrectly. That was the most important scene in Schalke’s 2-0 (0-0) win in the only test of winter preparation. Sylla is suffering from a goal drought in the 2nd Bundesliga and last scored at the end of October 2025.
Schalke coach Miron Muslic before the friendly against Osnabrück in the Parkstadion.
© Jürgen Fromme /firo Sportphoto | Jürgen Fromme
The game was preceded by a short-term rescheduling on a day on which “Elli” paralyzed almost all of Germany with snow and freezing cold. The game was actually supposed to have taken place in front of around 10,000 spectators in Osnabrück at the Bremer Bridge, but the pitch was unplayable and the access roads were partially icy. Schalke had suspected that. “We had a plan B, the pitch heating in the Parkstadion had been working since yesterday or the day before,” explained Schalke coach Miron Muslic. The disadvantage: No spectators were allowed to be there in Gelsenkirchen.
Schalke coach Muslic: “I am very, very satisfied”
Muslic largely tested the regular formation in the rather bumpy first half and – with the exception of Sylla – brought in the B team after the change. “I’m very, very satisfied. We’ve implemented many of the things we set out to do,” said Muslic. But while not much happened in the Osnabrück half of the game at minus three degrees before the break, that changed after the break.
This was mainly due to the agile Sylla, who missed a huge chance eight minutes before his goal when he was denied by goalkeeper Sauter. “After the first missed chance, which was actually easier than scoring, we thought: We don’t need that now. But Moussa did an excellent job with the goal. He showed his goal instinct. We are very happy and very happy. The life of a striker is about self-confidence. The best way to feed that is with goals. He was very mobile, very committed, very active, initiated two more top chances,” enthused Muslic.
Gomis is denied a goal
Sylla should remain the first choice at the top, with Christian Gomis and Kenan Karaman behind him forming the double ten in Schalke’s offensive. Gomis, who tried hard in the first half but had no luck, thrived at Sylla’s side. He was only denied one goal. Once he was very close, but a handball from Osnabrück’s Jannik Müller prevented this. Amin Younes scored the goal from the penalty spot to make the final score 2-0 (68th).
This is how Schalke 04 played against Osnabrück
Schalke, 1st half: Karius – T. Becker, Katic, Kurucay – Gantenbein (34. Pöpperl), Schallenberg, El-Faouzi, V. Becker – Wallentowitz, Karaman – Gomis.
Schalke, 2nd half: Karius (71. Podlech) – T. Becker (62. Khadr), Felipe Sanchez, Ayhan – Matriciani (50. Dietrich), Zalazar, Leonard, Porath – Gomis (71. Tchibara), Younes – Sylla.
