S04 ease to 4-1 home win over Preußen Münster

Karaman and Ayhan back from suspension

Head coach Miron Muslic made two changes to the team that won 2-1 away at SV Elversberg last Sunday (12/4). Captain Kenan Karaman and centre-back Mertcan Ayhan were both available again after serving a suspension for five yellow cards. They replaced Felipe Sanchez and Christian Gomis in the starting XI, with the pair dropping to the bench in an otherwise unchanged squad.

Karaman and Becker headers both hit the back of the net

The Royal Blues made their intentions clear from the first whistle. Roared on by a sold-out crowd of 62,077, the hosts burst forward at every opportunity and created their first chances early on. Niko Koulis cleared Dejan Ljubičić’s header off the line with goalkeeper Johannes Schenk already beaten, before Soufiane El-Faouzi sent the follow-up wide (4’). Just a minute later, Kenan Karaman curled a shot narrowly past the far post from 17 yards out (5’).

Schalke kept Münster penned back in their own half and continued to threaten. After a clever cut-back from Adil Aouchiche inside the box, Soufiane El-Faouzi shifted the ball onto his stronger foot but dragged his effort just wide of the post (10’). Soon after, Johannes Schenk made a fine save to tip a header from Kenan Karaman over after an El-Faouzi cross (13’). The Münster keeper was on his toes again from the resulting corner, this time keeping out a header from Timo Becker (14’). Moussa Sylla then raced onto a neat pass into the area, but Schenk denied him too from a tight angle (16’).

Aside from a brief spell of relief for the visitors, which brought them a corner of their own (19’), the game was played almost entirely in Münster’s half during the opening half hour, even if the stream of clear-cut chances slowed a little. Schalke kept moving the ball patiently in search of an opening, alternating down the left through Moussa Ndiaye and Adil Aouchiche, while also finding space on the right through Timo Becker and Soufiane El-Faouzi. Münster worked tirelessly without the ball and looked to prevent S04 from finding any space in the final third.

Schalke’s pressure finally told in the 36th minute. Adil Aouchiche worked the ball out to Dejan Ljubičić on the right and his cross to the back post was met by captain Kenan Karaman, who guided a header into the far corner for a thoroughly deserved lead (36’). It almost happened again soon afterwards, but Karaman could not guide his header from another Soufiane El-Faouzi cross on target (40’).

The Royal Blues kept up the pressure until the break. After winning the ball back, Soufiane El-Faouzi drove his way into the box but was denied by Johannes Schenk (44’). The Münster goalkeeper could do nothing from the corner that followed, though. Timo Becker flicked on Adil Aouchiche’s delivery at the near post, and with the ball taking a deflection off Jannis Heuer on its way through, it flew into the far corner to make it 2-0 in the 45th minute.

Aouchiche and Sylla add further goals after the break

Münster made two changes at the break, with Marvin Schulz and Imad Rondic coming on for Rico Preißinger and Oliver Batista Meier. It didn’t take long for S04 to add to their lead in the second half. Kenan Karaman launched a counter from the centre circle after linking up with Soufiane El-Faouzi, and the move ended with Adil Aouchiche getting the ball, who let fly from 15 yards out. Johannes Schenk should have kept it out, but the ball squirmed under his arms and into the net for 3-0 (51’).

The visitors were not done yet, however. Haralambos Makridis burst into the Schalke box from the left on the break and forced Loris Karius into his first save of the game, with the goalkeeper reacting sharply (56’). At the other end, Kenan Karaman again slipped Adil Aouchiche into the Preußen penalty area, but this time his shot was blocked at the last moment (60’).

With an hour played, head coach Miron Muslic turned to his bench, and Timo Becker and Ron Schallenberg left the pitch to warm applause. Adrian Gantenbein and Bryan Lasme came on in their place, but the flow of the game barely changed. The Royal Blues continued to dominate, combining with confidence and intent. Their fourth goal soon followed: Bryan Lasme picked out the back post with his cross, Kenan Karaman headed the ball back across goal, and Moussa Sylla was there to get the final touch for 4-0 (66’).

Kenan Karaman and Soufiane El-Faouzi then made way for Christian Gomis and Janik Bachmann (70’). Shortly before that, Adil Aouchiche had picked up Schalke’s only yellow card of the afternoon. Even with the game effectively won, the Royal Blues did not let up. Time and again, they worked the ball quickly out to Bryan Lasme, Christian Gomis and the other attacking players to keep Münster pinned back and under pressure.

Dylan Leonard then made his competitive debut for the Royal Blues after a lengthy injury lay-off, replacing Adil Aouchiche after 80 minutes. Two minutes later, Münster did pull one back, as Shin Yamada headed home a cross to make it 4-1 (82’). In the closing stages, Moussa Sylla went close with a header (84’), before Dejan Ljubičić also tried his luck from distance, but Schalke ultimately saw out a comfortable home win.

Top-of-the-table clash in Paderborn

The Royal Blues’ next game is also on a Sunday (26/4) at 13:30 CEST, away at second-placed SC Paderborn 07 on matchday 31.