Schalke, Fiorentina, and West Ham Shine in Recent Matches

Two games into the Bundesliga season, Schalke and Union Berlin were both stuck on a single point and searching for a spark. Schalke found it – and then some – in a 3-1 win wrapped around a bizarre refereeing change and a standout display from Loris Karius.

Robin Gosens lit the fuse. His angled volley put the newly promoted side in front, a sharp finish that settled early nerves and gave the home crowd something to cling to.

Right after the interval, Schalke struck again. Aouchiche doubled the lead with a superbly taken effort, the kind of clean, confident finish that made Union’s defence look static.

From there, it became Karius’ stage.

Union pushed, but the Schalke goalkeeper kept swatting them away, producing the kind of calm, authoritative performance that justified his player-of-the-match tag. He finally yielded deep into stoppage time when Tim Skarke pulled one back in the sixth minute of added time, but any hint of a frantic finale vanished almost instantly.

With virtually the last kick, Maximilian Wober stepped up and restored the two-goal cushion, sealing a statement win for Schalke and sending them home with three precious points.

The night carried another twist. Early in the second half, referee Timo Gerach signalled he could not continue, complaining of a sore calf. Fourth official Jarno Wienefeld – a regular in Bundesliga 2 – stepped in and took charge of his first top-flight match, adding an unexpected subplot to an already eventful evening.

Mastantuono’s hat trick lifts Fiorentina

In Serie A, two desperate teams met with identical problems. Venezia and Fiorentina had both lost their opening three games. Something had to give.

Venezia struck first. In the 22nd minute, Akor Adams finished neatly with his right foot after tidy build-up play from American midfielder Gianluca Busio, giving the home side the start it craved.

Fiorentina’s response was ruthless and rapid.

Franco Mastantuono burst into life, scoring twice in the 29th and 30th minutes to flip the game on its head before the break. Two attacks, two goals, and suddenly Fiorentina had a halftime lead that felt like a release of weeks of frustration.

The pressure eased further midway through the second half. Mateo Pellegrino made it 3-1, his second goal in as many games, as Fiorentina took control and Venezia’s resistance sagged.

Mastantuono wasn’t done. Six minutes from time he completed his hat trick, the crowning touch on a night that dragged Fiorentina off the canvas and into 15th place.

Venezia found a late consolation through Antoine Hainaut, but the damage was long done. Still pointless, they sit bottom of the 20-team table, already staring at a long, hard season.

Sevilla edge flat Valencia

La Liga offered fewer fireworks but plenty of tension. Sevilla climbed into joint second thanks to a late 1-0 win over a struggling Valencia side that never truly threatened.

For most of the match, chances were scarce and quality even scarcer. Then, with nine minutes left, Sevilla finally broke through.

Giorgi Kochorashvili swung in a deep cross from the left, and Juan Antonio Iglesias rose to meet it. His header looped over the goalkeeper and in, a gentle arc that carried huge weight in the table.

Valencia failed to register a single shot on target. With just one point from a possible 15, they remain rooted to the bottom and running out of excuses.

Relentless Rennes punish Marseille

In France, Rennes kept their momentum rolling and climbed to the top of Ligue 1 with a 1-0 victory over Marseille.

The decisive moment came six minutes into the second half. Adrien Thomasson, a recent signing from Lens, grabbed his first goal for the club, finishing off a move that underlined Rennes’ growing confidence.

That single strike was enough for a third straight win, pushing the Breton side one point clear of Monaco and underlining their early-season authority.

Marseille, by contrast, are sinking. This third consecutive defeat marks their worst league start in more than two decades. Three points from three games leaves them marooned in 11th, with pressure beginning to gather.

West Ham hit six and climb

Back in England, West Ham delivered the most brutal scoreline of the night.

They dismantled Wrexham 6-0 to surge to the top of the Championship table, six different players finding the net in a display that showcased depth, confidence, and a ruthless edge in front of goal.

The win nudged them a point clear of West Bromwich Albion and sent a clear message: early in the season or not, West Ham intend to set the pace.