FC Schalke 04 can breathe a sigh of relief: On Saturday, S04 celebrated a 3:2 home win against the top team from Hannover 96.
No one could sit still in the 77th minute: Kenan Karaman had just pushed the ball into the goal to make it 3-1 for FC Schalke 04 in the second division game against Hannover 96, when substitute players and assistant coaches ran onto the pitch, throwing themselves on the scorer, thus taking many of the royal blue shoulders with them.
Schalke managed a 3-2 (1-0) victory and coach Karel Geraerts’ first success in his second game. The fact that he was very happy and that it was thanks to an optimal utilization of chances was of no interest to either the coach or the Schalke fans.
Geraerts had demanded before the game that his players had to be “warriors” and he would only line up those who would be “real men”. This led to six changes compared to the 3-0 embarrassment at Karlsruher SC, and two prominent players were also affected: captain Simon Terodde and the previous defensive leader Timo Baumgartl were left out.
Geraerts stuck to his 3-5-2 tactics, but it was surprising that he used Derry John Murkin in the back three and the out-of-form Henning Matriciani as a wing player on the right. What was good for Schalke’s offensive play: Kenan Karaman returned to the team as a striker after serving a suspension, he seemed much more energetic, agile, and technically stronger than Terodde. In the brisk opening phase, Karaman was also involved in the first chance: he sent Bryan Lasme on a clever through ball, who failed to beat Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler. Eight minutes had been played.
Hannover, who came into the game in fourth place in the table, needed ten minutes to adjust to the 62,207 spectators and their opponents. In the eleventh minute, Andreas Voglsammer stormed off and away – but he was intercepted by Tobias Mohr just outside the penalty area. A strong action by the Schalke left-back. From this scene on, Hannover was the technically stronger team, attacking again and again on the left side. Derrick Köhn often went dribbling against Matriciani and won almost every time. Matriciani was the weak point in Schalke’s defense.
In the 18th minute, Köhn won a corner against Matriciani. Marcel Halstenberg headed the ball past the right post unchallenged. That could have been Hannover’s lead. Köhn himself also had a good chance: in the 37th minute, he dribbled past Matriciani again, but was stopped by goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann. The fact that Schalke’s defense held out between these two actions was thanks to improved tackling, stronger running and a lot of fouls by Schalke.
The visitors only got into the penalty area again in the 42nd minute – and immediately scored the 1-0, a goal out of nowhere. Matriciani lifted the ball into the box, where Karaman and Halstenberg rose. Halstenberg won the header, but the ball landed at the feet of Lasme, who easily pushed the ball into the goal. There was great relief in the arena. It wasn’t a pretty game, and the lead wasn’t even deserved – but no one on the Schalke side was thinking about that.
Hannover wasn’t even shocked. Just two minutes after Schalke’s goal celebration, they had a great chance to equalize. Köhn – once again – sent Voglsammer, but Ralf Fährmann saved the ball with his foot. The lucky 1-0 lead for the Royal Blues remained at half-time.
The second half began evenly – until Schalke’s Ron Schallenberg lost the ball in the opposing half in the 52nd minute. Hannover took advantage of the ball win to counterattack, which ended on the touchline with Derrick Köhn, when Schalke’s defense had already sorted itself out. But Köhn dribbled the weak Matriciani again, played a back pass to the free Enzo Leopold and he scored flatly into the corner for 1:1. All the Schalke defenders in the center had slept.
From then on, Hannover were the better technical team, as they were in the first half, and were much closer to scoring the second goal than Schalke. And they had the chances: in the 59th minute, Voglsammer extended a cross with his heel into the side netting. Three minutes later, Cedric Teuchert was denied by Fährmann. In the 67th minute, Jannik Dehm shot just wide of the left post. Schalke made a lot of easy mistakes. The deficit was in the air.
Schalke only managed occasional counterattacks. Lino Tempelmann was the driving force in midfield, by far his team’s best player. Most of the attacks came from the left. Tobias Mohr had a few good actions there. They had their first chance after the break in the 72nd minute: substitute Assan Ouédraogo played a cross to Tempelmann, who simply shot from 20 meters out, and the ball hit the center of the goal. 96 goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler didn’t see well, but all of Schalke celebrated. About the optimal conversion of chances, about a goal that did not correspond to the course of the game. Luck returned to Schalke.
The next proof came five minutes after the second goal: at the halfway line, Derry John Murkin blocked a pass from Voglsammer. The ball flew into the path of Karaman, who ran alone towards the goal, beat Zieler and scored the 3-1. The celebration was huge – but it was not the end of the story. In the 90th minute, Fährmann and Voglsammer collided in the box after a long clearance. Fährmann punched the ball away, but also caught Voglsammer. Referee Timo Gerach awarded a penalty. All of Schalke protested wildly, in vain. Halstenberg cut the deficit to 2:3.
Six minutes of added time began, which Schalke survived with luck and skill. Two away games now follow – in the cup at St. Pauli (Tuesday, 6 p.m.) and then at Nuremberg (Saturday, 1 p.m.).