Schalke promoted after stirring comeback win
Schalke will return to the Bundesliga next season after a securing a rousing comeback victory against fellow promotion chaser St. Pauli on Sunday (AEST).
A Simon Terodde double and a further strike from Rodrigo Zalazar sent Die Knappen up courtesy of a 3-2 win after St Pauli had led 2-0 after 17 minutes, with Australia's Jackson Irvine assisting both of the visitors' goals.
But coming off the back of five games without a win, St Pauli found it impossible to hold on in the second half as a pulsating Veltins-Arena atmosphere took hold and dragged Schalke back into the match and, ultimately, over the finish line first.
Schalke spent just one season in Germany's second tier after a woeful 2020-2021 season in the top flight ended a disastrous relegation, and while the club endured an up and down start to life in 2. Bundesliga, it will finish the season next weekend on top of the table, regardless of the result in its last match of the season against Nurmburg next weekend.
With the first half effectively a write-off for Schalke after Igor Matanovic had scored a double from Irvine's pair of assists, the home crowd knew there were work to be done.
The Royal Blues were handed a perfect opportunity to get one goal back when Jakov Medic fouled Terodde inside the box. The Schalke number nine took the spot-kick himself, netting his 28th goal of the season to lien up the home support.
Schalke was level with less than 20 minutes to go when Terodde scored his second after substitute Darko Churlinov's headed into his path.
With the arena bouncing, goalkeeper Martin Fraisl was forced into a save when Marcel Beifus thundered a shot towards goal as Pauli looked for a winner of its own.
But as the clock ran down, momentum stayed with Schalke, and when the visitors gave up possession in midfield in the 78th minute, the ball was swept to Rodrigo Zalazar on the left, and the midfielder belted a shot in off the upright to send the stadium into pandemonium.
St Pauli's challenge faltered further as Marcel Beifus and Matanovic were shown red cards before the final whistle which, when it came, sparked wild scenes of celebration that spilled on to the pitch.