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Gelsenkirchen (dpa) - Even without the savior Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, FC Schalke 04 had to take the next blow in the first half of the season and are pretty beaten into the second half of the season.

Schalke lost in their own stadium after a goal in stoppage time 1: 2 (0: 1) against relegation rivals 1. FC Köln.

With a meager seven points from 17 games, Schalke are now eight points behind FC.

Joker Jan Thielmann (90 + 3) scored the winning goal for FC after Schalke's shooting star Matthew Hoppe equalized the first FC lead by Rafael Czichos (30) with his fifth goal in the last three games (57).

Czichos' goal was the first FC goal after 514 minutes.

Thielmann was only substituted in the 88th minute - and let Cologne celebrate with his second Bundesliga goal.

The Schalke fans will have to wait at least until Sunday for the long-awaited comeback of Huntelaar, when Bayern Munich comes to Gelsenkirchen.

On Wednesday, the 37-year-old striker, whom the Royal Blues brought back from Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday, was absent due to calf problems.

"He is not one hundred percent resilient, the risk was just too great for me," said Schalke coach Christian Gross about the Dutchman, who had already played for the Royal Blues from 2010 to 2017.

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The fact that both teams started with the same starting XI as at the weekend, although they had by no means shone there, was an expression of the modest demands that both now have.

The Schalke team started against low-standing Cologne and also had chances.

Suat Serdar (4th) and Amine Harit (26th) failed with long shots (26th) to Timo Horn.

Mark Uth, who was loaned to FC in the last second half of the season, aimed a bit too high after a one-two with Harit from ten meters (27th).

But then the FC, which until then had hardly been interested in the offensive game, suddenly got stuck in the Schalke penalty area with four corners in three minutes.

And after the fourth the guests suddenly led.

Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann sailed under Jonas Hector's ball, Czichos extended Dominick Drexler's shot at the far corner with his head over the line.

And Hoppe?

He only appeared in the 44th minute.

And stumbled.

Shortly after the break, the game for Schalke was almost over when Ozan Kabak almost scored an own goal after a cross from Marius Wolf.

The post saved him (54th).

But then the hour struck again for Hoppe, who took advantage of a confusion in the Cologne penalty area.

In the second half, Schalke dominated the game, Cologne could not set any more accents.

But despite all offensive efforts, Schalke did not succeed in the longed-for winning goal - on the contrary.

Thielmann shocked Schalke in stoppage time.

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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210120-99-106903 / 2

Information about the game at bundesliga.de