Bundesliga crisis club Schalke saw their winless run extended to 27 games on Sunday after Augsburg forward Marco Richter snatched a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw overshadowed by a serious injury to Mark Uth.
Richter’s late header crowned a heartbreaking evening for Schalke, who remain on course to equal Tasmania Berlin’s notorious, 54-year-old Bundesliga record of 31 games without a win.
Schalke’s misery was compounded by concerns for Uth, who was stretchered from the field unconscious after a clash of heads with Augsburg defender Felix Uduokhai in the 10th minute.
“It was a very worrying moment with Mark. He will stay in hospital overnight and we are crossing our fingers for him,” Schalke technical director Sascha Riether told Sky.
The striker was treated on-field for around 15 minutes before being carried from the pitch attached to a drip and wearing a neck brace.
Schalke later confirmed that the 29-year-old was “stable and responsive” and on his way to hospital, but both sets of players were left visibly shocked by the incident.
After the game resumed with a 15-minute delay, Augsburg took the lead from a corner in the 32nd minute, Suat Serdar accidentally heading the ball into his own net.
Uduokhai later clashed heads with another Schalke player, Nassim Boujellab, who played on with bandages on his head.
Schalke came out fighting in the second half, and Benito Raman levelled the scores with a delicate chip over goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz on 52 minutes.
Augsburg’s Florian Niederlechner was sent off for a second yellow card several minutes later after colliding with Schalke defender Salif Sane in another aerial duel.
Serdar redeemed himself shortly afterwards as he fired a low cross towards Boujellab, who smashed the ball past Gikiewicz to give Schalke the lead.
Yet Richter dashed hopes of a first league win since January 17 when he flicked a Michael Gregoritsch cross past Ralf Faehrmann two minutes from time to save a point for 10-man Augsburg.
The draw leaves Schalke bottom of the league, with just four points from 11 games this season.
