Schalke secured their first Bundesliga victory since the 2022/23 season with a 3-1 win over Union Berlin, maintaining their unbeaten record at Stadion An der Alten Försterei after three consecutive draws on their previous visits.

The hosts created the first opportunity when Josip Juranovic delivered a dangerous set piece into the box, but Aljoscha Kemlein saw his resulting effort blocked by the Schalke defence.

The opening 10 minutes were fragmented, with Union Berlin enjoying more possession. However, it was Schalke who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Kenan Karaman unleashed a long-range effort that narrowly cleared the crossbar.

The visitors gradually settled into the contest, and Adil Aouchiche tested Frederik Rønnow with a curling effort in the 20th minute, forcing the Union goalkeeper into his first save of the match.

Schalke broke the deadlock just four minutes later. A poor clearance from Leopold Querfeld fell straight to Robin Gosens, who made no mistake, striking a powerful half-volley that went in off the inside of the post from a tight angle.

Gosens raised his hands apologetically after scoring against his former club, while Aouchiche soon came close to adding a second for Schalke.

The midfielder raced through on goal after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Karaman and attempted to shoot underneath Rønnow. The goalkeeper managed to get a hand to the effort, giving Michel Aebischer enough time to clear the danger.

Union manager Mauro Lustrinelli responded with two changes at half-time, introducing Andras Schafer and Marin Ljubicic in an attempt to turn the game around. However, Schalke immediately resumed their attacking momentum after the restart.

Just seconds into the second half, Aouchiche exchanged passes with Junior Adamu before firing past Rønnow. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision and confirmed Schalke’s second goal.

A problem with one of the officials’ headsets then led to a lengthy stoppage, coming just as Union Berlin were beginning to regain control of the match. Once play resumed, the hosts continued to push forward, with Tom Rothe forcing a strong save from Loris Karius with a well-directed effort.

As the game progressed, Miron Muslić’s side were content to allow Union to dominate possession and look for opportunities on the counterattack. The hosts almost made their pressure count late on when substitute Marin Ljubicic did brilliantly to hold off the Schalke defenders as he brought down a cross before getting a shot away that struck the outside of the right post.

Union finally found a way through in stoppage time, with Tim Skarke reacting quickly to score from close range and give the hosts hope of a comeback.

However, Schalke had the final say in the dying moments. Maximilian Wöber finished off a superb counterattack to seal the victory and ensure there would be no late drama.

Lustrinelli will be frustrated that his side’s dominance failed to produce a positive result, although he can take encouragement from their response after falling 2-0 behind.

The victory lifts Schalke up to seventh place at this early stage of the Bundesliga campaign, while Union Berlin remain without a league win under head coach Lustrinelli.