Marius Bülter hit a hat-trick and Simon Terodde scored twice as Schalke cemented top spot in Bundesliga 2 with a 5-2 win at Darmstadt, benefitting from draws for St. Pauli and Werder Bremen to go two points clear.

Darmstadt 2-5 Schalke
Goals: 1-0 Tietz (11), 1-1 Terodde (14'), 1-2 Terodde (29'), 2-2 Tietz (34'), 2-3 Bülter (42'), 2-4 Bülter (48'), 2-5 Bülter (62')

Frenetic does not even come close to it. The first half at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor was that and then some, starting with Phillip Tietz's opening goal after 11 minutes. The Darmstadt No9's first effort was parried, but he made no mistake at the second time of asking to give the hosts a deserved lead, having squandered already a succession of chances. Their lead lasted only a few minutes, though, before Simon Terodde headed in Schalke's first chance of the game. He put the guests in front with another header, launching himself at Rodrigo Zalazar's looping ball with determination. Not wanting to be outdone, Tietz got his second of the game with a powerful header, but it was not enough to take the teams in level at the break, since Bülter had other plans. He carried the ball forward and then beat Morten Behrens with the aid of a deflection.

After 15 minutes to catch some breath, the teams re-emerged for more of the same in the second half. Bülter increased Schalke's lead just moments after Tietz had a goal which would have completed his hat-trick ruled out for offside, the Schalke forward catching Patric Pfeiffer napping before tucking in from close range. Bülter then completed his hat-trick with a remarkable strike from the tightest of angles, somehow placing his shot into  the far corner of Behrens' goal. Darmstadt tried to respond, even to a three-goal deficit, and it was the measure of how manic this game was that they had chances to do so, but Schalke held on for a win which cemented their place at the top of the pile.

Match stats

• Tietz is Darmstadt's top scorer with 15 goals, while Pfeiffer has 13. Bremen are the only other team with two goalscorers to have at least that total.
• Terodde scored two in a Bundesliga 2 game for the 44th time, and the sixth this season.
• Ouwejan is joined at Schalke by Marius Bülter on eight assists.
• Schalke began the weekend top of the Bundesliga 2 table for the first time this season, and first time since taking to the summit on the final day of 1990/91 with a 1-0 win at home to Darmstadt.

Line-ups

Darmstadt: Behrens - Bader, Sobiech (Isherwood 24', Mehlem 64'), P. Pfeiffer, Holland (c) - Manu, Kempe, Gjasula, Skarke (Honsak 76') - Tietz, L. Pfeiffer (Ronstadt 64')
Unused subs: Kroll,  Karic, Müller, Riedel, Celic
Out: Schuhen (not included)
Coach: Torsten Lieberknecht

Schalke: Fraisl - Matriciani, Thiaw, Kaminski, Calhanoglu (Vindheim 64') - Itakura, Latza (c) (Palsson 24') – Drexler, Bülter, Zalazar (Flick 78') – Terodde
Unused subs: Fährmann, Sane, Ranftl, Idrizi, Can Aydin, Mikhailov
Out: Langer (knee), Lee (ankle), Ouwejan (muscular), Palsson (calf), Pieringer (cheekbone), Vindheim (calf)
Coach: Mike Büskens

Marius Bülter hit a hat-trick as Schalke pushed on with their promotion challenge. - IMAGO/Revierfoto/IMAGO/Revierfoto

Round-up

Hannover 0-0 Fortuna Düsseldorf

Both teams inched closer to securing Bundesliga 2 survival after sharing the points in a goalless draw on Saturday. Düsseldorf will be frustrated not to have won, however, after playing with an extra man for the majority of the game after Hannover winger Niklas Hult was shown a straight red card in the 16th minute. The visitors subsequently dominated possession and territory, but struggled to find the necessary creative spark to unlock a compact home defence, ultimately leaving the teams to take a point apiece.

Dynamo Dresden 0-0 Holstein Kiel

Dynamo Dresden remain winless in 2022 and in deep relegation trouble after being held to a goalless draw by mid-table Holstein Kiel. Kiel’s Kwasi Wriedt fired against the crossbar inside 60 seconds, before Fabian Reese flunked a one-on-one with Thomas Broll. Johannes van den Bergh cleared a Michael Sollbauer effort off the line as Dynamo mustered a response, but it took another big Broll save to keep out a Lewis Holtby volley and preserve parity at the halfway point. Dynamo midfielder Paul Will passed up two presentable chances in the second half, with Alexander Mühling and Holtby faring no better at the other end. The result leaves Dresden in the relegation play-off spot, six points adrift of outright safety.

Sandhausen 1-1 St. Pauli
Goals: 0-1 Burgstaller (39'), 1-1 Bachmann (90')

St Pauli stumbled in their bid for promotion to the Bundesliga, with Sandhausen snatching a 1-1 draw in the very last minute at the BWT-Stadion am Hardtwald to boost their own survival chances. Guido Burgstaller opened the scoring with his personal best 18th goal of the season, converting from the spot after earning the penalty himself just before half-time. The northern Germany side seemed set to take over top spot until Janik Bachmann headed in from a corner after Dario Dumic headed the ball back his way, snatching Sandhausen a point at the death to keep them clear of the danger zone and dent Pauli's promotion hopes.

Hamburg 3-0 Karlsruhe
Goals: 1-0 Glatzel (23’), 2-0 Vuskovic (32’), 3-0 Vagnoman (68’)
Sent off: Gordon (30’)

Having lost three and drawn one of their previous five league outings, Hamburg returned to winning ways on Matchday 30 to rekindle the embers of their promotion push. Star striker Robert Glatzel paved the way for the triumph with his 18th goal of the season – a fine, back-post header – and the sending off of Karlsruhe centre-back Daniel Gordon for a foul on Glatzel on the half-hour mark swung momentum further HSV’s way. They were in no mood to be lenient either, with Mario Vuskovic doubling the advantage from the ensuing free-kick, and Josha Vagnoman sealing the points in the second half to round out a deserved victory.

Watch: Hamburg 3-0 Karlsruhe - in 60 seconds!

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Werder Bremen 1-1 Nuremberg
Goals: 0-1 Dovedan (24’), 1-1 Weiser (64’)

When these two met in the reverse fixture, it was Werder Bremen who stole victory in the latter stages after spending most of the game behind following a Nikola Dovedan goal. Dovedan was at it again today, sending the visitors in front midway through the first half with a penalty. With both teams in the hunt for promotion, today was not the day to slip up. Instead an essence of brilliance from Marco Friedl to find Mitchell Weiser who just about edged his shot into the net to level things up. The hosts piled on the pressure from then on but in the end had to settle for a point.

Hansa Rostock 1-1 Jahn Regensburg
Goals: 1-0 Verhoek (44’), 1-1 Shipnoski (59’)

Sunshine glowed over the Ostseestadion as Hansa Rostock looked to get back to winning ways in Bundesliga 2. Jahn Regensburg had drawn 1-1 three times in four games going into this encounter. A tame opening period saw the hosts end the half in front. John Verhoek latching onto some clever play when the chance had seemed lost. The visitors emerged stronger in the second half and find their opener on 59 minutes. Leon Guwara steamed down the left-hand side to cross, with the ball falling to Nicklas Shipnoski to shoot past a flailing Markus Kolke. A late red card for Danylo Sikan saw the hosts end the game with ten players but a draw was secured, with the visitors now making it three 1-1’s in four games.

Ingolstadt 0-1 Paderborn
Goals: 0-1 Muslija (70’)

With Ingolstadt struggling since their return to Bundesliga 2, a win over Paderborn would provide a much-needed boost in their battle for survival. But despite an impressive defensive display from the hosts throughout the game, their hard efforts were sadly not rewarded. An error of judgment from Rico Preißinger with a mistimed tackle saw the visitors awarded a penalty. Florent Muslija stepped up to convert for what proved to be winner. Ingolstadt return to the foot of the table, ten points from the partial security of the relegation playoff.

About the clubs

FC Schalke 04

VELTINS-Arena

SV Darmstadt 98

Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor