A goalkeeper with hands made of butter made a decisive contribution to the first home win of the Berlin Bundesliga team Hertha BSC. Schalke goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who was loaned out to Gelsenkirchen by Hertha in the summer, made such a blatant mistake in the 49th minute on a comparatively harmless shot by Lucas Tousart that it had to be booked as a collaboration with the enemy. Schalke was able to equalize in the meantime through Florent Mollet (85th). In a dramatic final phase, however, the previously hapless Wilfried Kanga scored his first goal of the season – and secured Hertha’s first home three of the season. Schalke lost for the fifth time in a row and is now bottom of the table.
The game ended for Schalke the way it began: with an invitation to resign. The ball landed twice in the Berlin net. But both times the goals were canceled by football’s big brother, the video referee. It was a pity, above all, about the first of these two goals that were erased from the history books: Marius Bülter volleyed a cross from Mehmet Aydin from ten meters – and sank the ball impressively into the Hertha goal. Only: Bülter himself was clearly offside when the goal was scored – and then played the ball out to Aydin to the right. Shortly thereafter, it was Schalke striker Simon Terodde, who was offside before he shot on goal and Bülter pushed the rebound into the goal.
A Schalke lead would not even have been undeserved. At least it was quite clear to see that the almost hysterical coaching interim coach Matthias Kreutzer, who took over the supervision of the team on Wednesday, must have struck a chord with the Schalke staff.
Schwolow writhes like Gregor Samsa awakened from troubled dreams
Not that Hertha would have indulged in the disembodied game. But Schalke acted as if they had replaced video analysis with a Fortnite tournament when preparing for the game. Her performance was a tribute to uncompromising hand-to-hand combat. Hertha had come to conclusions, especially at the beginning of the game. But at half-time none of the 60,165 spectators could remember the color of Schalke goalkeeper Schwolow’s jersey. He didn’t even have to intervene when the Berliners had their best chance. Because after an electrifying cross run by Dodi Lukébakio, Hertha’s actually most technically adept, Stevan Jovetic, shot the ball to the supporting leg.
The problem arose when Schwolow actually got a ball on goal. In the 49th minute, Hertha’s French midfielder Tousart received the ball in halffield, had plenty of time to adjust it and fired when he felt he was in East Berlin. The ball fluttered though. But not enough to offer Schwolow an excuse afterwards. The bullet almost flew towards Schwolow’s body. But his attempt at defense was so awkward that Schalke sympathizers could well wish that the Berliners had loaned them the thick plush mascot Herthinho as goalkeeper. The ball wriggled in the net and Schwolow squirmed like Gregor Samsa awakened from troubled dreams. By the way, Schwolow wore black.
The rest was mainly Schalke desperation, sacrifice, rebellion. There was something touching about all of this – and in the end it led to goal scenes. Substitute striker Sebastian Polter first headed the ball to the side netting, then Florent Mollet (85′) equalized a little later. He sent an inadequately defended ball from 14 meters through the legs of Uruguayan Agustín Rogel onto the Hertha goal. The relief at the goal led Schalke to be inattentive, which Wilfried Kanga took advantage of. After winning the ball, Kanga stormed towards the goal alone – and shot in flat. Schwolow froze into a pillar. Because he knew: It was a defeat to which he had made a decisive contribution.