Second-division soccer team FC Schalke 04 also failed to secure an away win at SV Elversberg, but at least achieved a partial success.

The trip to the Saarland province presented FC Schalke 04 with a special test – the Royal Blues did not fail at small-town club SV Elversberg, but only achieved a partial success in the relegation battle. Schalke picked up a point in a 1:1 (0:1) draw and took another small step towards relegation.

For many years, Schalke had played in stadiums like the one at Kaiserlinde in Elversberg during the summer preparations, when the long-standing European Cup participant still paid a generous fee for test matches. The Royal Blues first had to find their way around the mini-stadium – the fans who had traveled with them stood on the center line, the changing room for the professionals was opposite the press room, and there was standing room at a construction fence above the main stand in addition to the 9,500 seats in the sold-out stadium.

The Elversberg stadium management had endeavored to find at least one common ground in the unequal duel – and succeeded in doing so. The St. Ingbert mountain band played the Steigerlied – at least that made the Schalke fans feel a bit at home. And after it had been pouring with rain all day, the sun was even shining from this moment onwards

In the first 15 minutes, Schalke did not look like the weakest away team in the league still fighting against relegation. They had adapted well to the adverse and unfamiliar conditions, looked committed in the tackles and combined purposefully going forward. Coach Karel Geraerts made two changes to his team – Brandon Soppy and Ron Schallenberg came on for Cedric Brunner (injured) and Keke Topp (bench).

Schalke had the first big chance of the game: After a wonderful combination via Derry Murkin, Yusuf Kabadayi and Simon Terodde, Kenan Karaman got into a good shooting position, but he flicked the ball against the crossbar (6th minute). This scene deserved a goal. Karaman also had the second chance, but shot the ball into the arms of goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof (11). Two Schalke corners (12th/14th) yielded nothing.

Schalke seemed to have everything under control – until a lost tackle in the 17th minute set Elversberg’s high-speed offense sprinting; Geraerts had warned of this transitional strength all week. Elversberg’s Jannik Rochelt ran alone towards goalkeeper Marius Müller, but shot at him and Schallenberg blocked Paul Wanner’s follow-up shot.

A minute later, Yusuf Kabadayi committed a stupid foul in his own half. Rochelt flicked the free-kick into the middle and Florian Le Joncour headed home to make it 1:0 – there was no sign of opponent Marcin Kaminski. Another 60 seconds later, Rochelt was again in a perfect shooting position twice – but Derry John Murkin blocked twice. Schalke were even well served with the 0:1.

These three horror minutes changed the game. Schalke now looked hesitant, with right-back Soppy in particular struggling. A number of simple cross-field passes flew out of play, Schalke attacked far too slowly and Elversberg had control of the game. It was not until the 40th minute that Schalke appeared in the home side’s penalty area again. After a free-kick from Paul Seguin, Karaman forced SV goalkeeper Kristof into a brilliant save. But despite this opportunity, Elversberg’s lead at the break was deserved – and there were signs of another Schalke defeat on the road.

Geraerts had to make a change at the break – striker Keke Topp came on for the stricken Derry John Murkin, who now formed a front two with Simon Terodde. After six quiet minutes at the start of the second half, Topp had a great chance to equalize: After a cross from Seguin, he got a free header in the five-yard box, but headed into the arms of goalkeeper Kristof – what a chance. Eight minutes later, the popular talent did better. A deflected Karaman cross landed with Topp, who pushed the ball over the line from close range – 1:1, everything open again.

In the remaining 30 minutes until the final whistle, both teams had good and bad phases in an exciting, but not high-class game. Elversberg came closer to victory: Paul Wanner failed to score against the crossbar (71′), Jannik Rochelt against Schalke goalkeeper Marius Müller (82′). It remained 1:1 – and the Schalke motto: at a snail’s pace to relegation