The women of FC Schalke 04 extended their lead at the top of the table with a 5-0 win against FC Iserlohn. Despite the success, Stefan Colmsee was very critical.

This game fell into the category of a “must-win.” At least if you have the same ambitions as the women of FC Schalke 04 in the Westfalenliga, because the goal is to be promoted this season. With their 5-0 win against FC Iserlohn, they are one step closer to this goal. However, what the result does not suggest at first glance is that the Schalke women did not put in a commanding performance. This was also confirmed by S04 coach Stefan Colmsee after the final whistle: “It wasn’t an outstanding game from us. We weren’t sharp enough.”

Things went well for Schalke in the first half. Mandy Islacker scored in the 13th, 25th, and 28th minutes, setting the course for victory early on. Shortly before halftime, Jolina Opladen even increased the lead to 4-0. Nevertheless, Colmsee was not satisfied. Instead, he criticized his team for not taking advantage of open spaces. This was directly linked to his praise for the hosts. “I saw a surprising style of play from Iserlohn,” said Colmsee, adding: “They played relatively high up the pitch and were courageous. However, they always left three players up front. That opened up a lot of space behind them, which we didn’t make the most of.”

Basically, I’m satisfied with the team and their development. We really do have players with strong characters in the squad who lead the way.

Stefan Colmsee

Shortly after the restart, Opladen scored their second and final goal of the day. Like the 2-0, this goal is worth highlighting. For both goals, the S04 women put together a remarkable combination of passes, which pleased Colmsee. “We won the game through good moves and scored some nice goals,” said the coach, praising his team before offering further criticism: “We didn’t play as clearly as we usually do. We gave our opponents far too many opportunities in transition.”

While the S04 coach was unhappy with the performance, he was satisfied with the overall development of the team. “We often find ourselves in a situation where we have to make substitutions. That’s because we often have injured players or players who are unavailable for personal reasons. So the development process is interrupted from time to time, but I believe we are on the right track. Basically, I am satisfied with the team and its development. We really do have players with strong characters in the squad who lead the way.“

Despite all the criticism, the facts remain promising for the Schalke women. Eight wins from eight games with a goal difference of 66:4. Accordingly, Colmsee was finally able to put the game behind him: ”In the end, it’s a 5:0 and a clear victory. So we’re happy for now.”