Strikers on the scoresheet as S04 beat Fortuna 3-1

Two players handed first start

Dimitrios Grammozis made two changes to his team compared to the 4-1 loss in Regensburg. Ko Itakura and Darko Churlinov, who both signed shortly before last weekend’s game, came into the Royal Blues’ starting line-up for the first time, while Florian Flick and Reinhold Ranftl dropped to the bench. Schalke set up in a 3-5-2 formation.

Bülter delivers the perfect response

The fans in the VELTINS-Arena were treated to an exciting opening period of the game, with the first chance falling Schalke’s way after just six minutes. Thomas Ouwejan’s long diagonal ball found Simon Terodde in the box, and his shot from an angle was saved by Florian Kastenmeier. Dominick Drexler then looked to turn in the rebound, only for Matthias Zimmermann to nick in ahead of him and put the ball behind for a corner. The set piece led to the next chance, again ending with Kastenmeier denying Terodde from close range, while the follow-up this time was fired narrowly wide by Marius Bülter.

The visitors proved to be more clinical soon after, sticking away their first goalscoring opportunity. Khaled Narey’s header over the backline was taken in his stride by Shinta Appelkamp, and he finished with aplomb to make it 1-0 to Düsseldorf (12’). Schalke didn’t take long to provide a response though. A misunderstanding at the back allowed Terodde to play Bülter through, and he kept his cool to fire underneath the onrushing goalkeeper and level the scores (15’).

Schalke kept the momentum on their side after the equaliser and pressed for a second goal. Victor Pálsson rose highest from an Ouwejan corner kick in the 25th minute, but his header was over the top. Three minutes later, it was once again Marius Bülter causing the visitors problems. He couldn’t quite pick out the bottom corner this time either though. Fortuna’s only opportunity to go back in front in the first half came from a corner, but Dragos Nedelcu’s header provided a comfortable save for Ralf Fährmann (36’).

At the other end, Schalke had Florian Kastenmeier beaten, yet the woodwork came to his rescue; Terodde dummied Ouwejan’s cross to allow the ball to run though to Bülter, whose first-time effort thundered the base of the post (38’). Terodde then tested the Fortuna goalkeeper himself three minutes later, but he couldn’t find a way through as the half ended with the sides level.

Terodde at the double

The Royal Blues made the ideal start to the second half, with Simon Terodde making it 2-1 less than a minute after the restart. He demonstrated his nose for goal for the fifth time this season, getting on the end of Thomas Ouwejan’s deflected cross and squeezing the ball home. There could have been a third Schalke goal shortly before the hour mark as Marius Bülter and Dominick Drexler drove forward two against two. Instead of laying off for the run of his fellow Schalker, the opening goalscorer tried to bag his second with a strike from the edge of the box that was easy enough for Kastenmeier (58’).

Schalke fans had their heart in their mouth moments later, as a scramble inside the 16-yard box saw the ball pinball around from player to player, before finally rolling behind to safety. It remained S04 who looked the more likely to score next though, and Drexler’s header from a corner needed to be parried by Kastenmeier, before Terodde’s rebound zipped wide of the target (67’).

Ralf Fährmann had to be at his very best with the game’s next chance, reacting superbly to make a save with his feet at the near post to keep out a certain equaliser from Kristoffer Peterson (77’). Düsseldorf could smell a goal and applied more pressure, however, the home side dealt with it well. Not only were they able to keep Fortuna at bay, but they managed to grab a crucial third goal in the 90th minute to wrap up the three points. Terodde controlled the ball on his chest in the box and applied a sublime finish with the outside of his boot to make it six goals in five league games and secure a first home win of the campaign for Schalke 04.

International break beckons

Patience is now required ahead of the next Schalke match. An international break begins on Monday, meaning there are no league games next weekend. The Royal Blues return to action on Sunday, 12th September, when they make the short trip to eastern North-Rhine Westphalia to play SC Paderborn 07 at the Benteler-Arena (13:30 CEST).