SV Meppen vs Schalke 04 II

The match was played over four 30-minute periods — a format agreed by both coaches to maximise game time for their squads. Meppen dominated from the first whistle and took the lead through an Ersin Zehir penalty, with Niclas Nadj winning the spot-kick. Zehir added two more before the first interval to complete a first-half hat-trick, putting Meppen 3-0 up inside the opening 30 minutes.

Loan signing Jona Borsum — a 21-year-old midfielder arriving from second-tier Eintracht Braunschweig — scored on his debut for the club in the second period. Nadj then got himself on the scoresheet before Marko Rankic, Simon Engelmann and A. Akono added further goals in the second half to round off the 8-0 rout.

Zehir's penalty opener in the early stages of the first 30-minute period settled any early nerves. By the time the third goal went in before the first break, the Regionalliga visitors were already facing an insurmountable deficit. Schalke 04 II struggled to create any meaningful response across the 120 minutes.

Ersin Zehir (SV Meppen) — The midfielder scored a hat-trick inside the first 30 minutes, converting from the penalty spot before adding two more from open play. His treble set the tone for Meppen's most one-sided pre-season result.

Jona Borsum (SV Meppen) — The summer loan signing from Eintracht Braunschweig made his first appearance in a Meppen shirt and scored his debut goal, a promising sign for the new 3. Liga season.

Niclas Nadj (SV Meppen) — Won the penalty for Zehir's opener and scored a goal himself, playing a key part in the first-half demolition.

The provider payload records eight goals, all scored by SV Meppen, with no cards issued. The match's 4x30-minute format — unusual for friendlies — meant both managers could rotate their entire squads, with Schalke II evidently unable to match Meppen's intensity across all four periods. The 3-0 half-time scoreline already reflected complete dominance; the additional five goals after the break merely confirmed Meppen's superior fitness and sharpness two weeks before the 3. Liga season begins.

SV Meppen, who play in the 3. Liga (German third division), continued a strong pre-season that has already included a 3-2 win over Dutch Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam on 18 July and a 4-1 victory over SSV Jeddeloh II on 10 July. The win was the centrepiece of the club's season-opening family day, which also featured the unveiling of the new 2026/27 home kit and the presentation of a new team bus — a Mercedes-Benz Travego formerly used by the German national team.

Schalke 04 II, who compete in the Regionalliga (fourth tier), were returning to pre-season action and will hope to fare better in their remaining friendlies before the Regionalliga season starts.

Meppen's next fixture is the 3. Liga opener against 1. FC Saarbrücken at the Hänsch-Arena on 5 September 2026. Schalke 04 II's next competitive fixture is to be confirmed.

A routine pre-season blowout in which the gulf between a fully professional 3. Liga side and a fourth-tier reserve team was starkly exposed. Meppen's 8-0 win is a statement of intent from Lucas Beniermann's squad, but the real test begins in September. For Schalke II, this was a brutal reality check against a well-drilled opponent.