Schalke 04 beat stubborn Mainz with late Joel Matip winner

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:13 am
Schalke celebrates after Joel Matip broke a 1-1 deadlock with Mainz to earn the hosts a victory.
SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP/Getty Images

Schalke moved up to fifth in the Bundesliga standings thanks to a 2-1 win over Mainz, which could have been more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar saw an early penalty saved by Loris Karius and the Dutchman missed an almost open goal as Schalke piled on the pressure.

Karius was keeping Mainz in the game -- the pick of his saves a fine reflex stop to prevent Niko Bungert from scoring an own goal -- but Joel Matip finally broke the deadlock with a header from former Mainz defender Johannes Geis' corner.

Yunus Malli levelled for Mainz after Christian Clemens' shot came back off the post, but Huntelaar made up for his earlier errors to score Schalke's winner, even though a fine one-handed save from Ralf Fahrmann was required to preserve the points in the last minute.