05/02/26 03:39:00
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05/02 15:37 CDT Schalke seals promotion back to the Bundesliga after 3 seasons
away
Schalke seals promotion back to the Bundesliga after 3 seasons away
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) --- Edin D?eko returned in time for the
celebrations as seven-time German champion Schalke sealed its return to the
Bundesliga with a 1-0 win over Fortuna Dsseldorf on Saturday.
Kenan Karaman's strike in the 13th minute was enough for Schalke to move an
unassailable 10 points clear of third-place Hannover in Germany's second
division. Hannover has three games remaining and Schalke has two. The top two
teams secure automatic promotion to the top division.
Schalke's promotion push this season was helped by the surprise signing of
D?eko in January. The now 40-year-old Bosnia forward chipped in six goals in
nine league appearances for Schalke before suffering a shoulder injury in
Bosnia's World Cup playoff win over Italy on March 31.
Others stepped up in D?eko's absence, especially Mali forward Moussa Sylla, who
scored three of his seven goals this season in Schalke's last six games.
D?eko made his comeback after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute on
Saturday. He didn't score, but none of the Schalke fans among 61,587 supporters
in the sold-out stadium were complaining.
It's Schalke's second promotion from the second division in five years after
its initial relegation from the Bundesliga in 2021. Schalke bounced back as
second-division champion the following season but it was relegated again in
2023 after just one season in the top division.
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