Connect with us

News

Schalke bag first win in 31 league games, avoid ‘worst Bundesliga club’ record

Published

on

FC Schalke 04 secured their first league win of the German Bundesliga season in style on Saturday as they thrashed Hoffenheim 4-0.

The club had gone 30 league games without a win, 14 of which are this season’s fixtures. A loss to Hoffenheim could have handed the team an unwanted record.

With the win, Schalke avoided equalling a league record long held by Tasmania Berlin.

It was 19-year-old American Matthew Hoppe who scored the first three goals of his senior career as he bagged a remarkable hat-trick in the encounter.

Read Also: Schalke sack manager Manuel Baum after 79 days in charge

Midfielder Amine Harit, who set up all of Hoppe’s goals, scored the fourth goal to seal the rout.

Schalke had had a trying start to the season, and have sacked two managers since, with the fourth manager currently in charge after another had served only as caretaker.

They had not won a league game since 17 January 2020 – 358 days ago, but bounced back with an impressive performance at home this weekend.

Tasmania Berlin continue to keep the record for the longest run without a win in Germany’s top flight.

They had a stretch of 31 matches without a win in the 1965-66 season, which was their only season in the division, having been asked to compete after Hertha Berlin, who had the rightful place, were banned from the competition and a club in Berlin had to be included.

Schalke have now moved off from bottom of the table and are now four points from safety.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now