2-2 in Frankfurt – Schalke snatch last minute draw

Schalke’s 12 game unbeaten run continued this afternoon courtesy of a 94th minute equaliser in Frankfurt. From 2-0 down, Naldo scored with the last kick of the game to get Schalke a deserved point.

Bundesliga

16.12.17, 17:45

Two changes to the starting XI

Head coach Domenico Tedesco made two changes to the team which beat FC Augsburg a few days before. Yevhen Konoplyanka and Alessandro Schöpf came into the fray in place of Franco di Santo and Weston McKennie. Coke was not part of the squad as he will head to Levante UD on loan for the second half o f the season as announced prior to the match.

Frankfurt fly out the blocks

It was a start to forget for the Knappen. Under two minutes had been played before they were behind. Luka Jovic fired the Hessen into the lead which altered the fce of the game from the off. Frankfurt began to sit deep as Schalke pushed forwards with SGE seeking to attack on the break. Schalke dominated proceedings without troubling Eintracht’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. However, Schalke’s first half performance did deserve a goal to take into the half-time break but it just wouldn’t come. Amine Harit failed to convert from close range and Alessandro Schöpf was denied on his return by a superb save at the end of the first 45 minutes which meant Schalke headed into the break with nothing to their name.

Naldo at the death

After half-time, the hosts began to deal with Schalke’s attacks much more effectively . The Royal Blues failed the threaten their opponents whereas their counterparts were clinical. Sebastain Haller, introduced from the substitutes bench, doubled Eintracht Frankfurt’s lead with a backheel. Schalke did eventually get the goal they deserved. In the 82nd minute, Breel Embolo slid in to put the ball in after a low cross from Guido Burgstaller invitingly flew across the Frankfurt penalty area. However, it seemed to be little more than a consolation. The Royal Blues though dug even deeper and showed true character of the team. A long ball fell to Naldo who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to send the Schalke end into raptures in the 94th minute and sealed a point for Schalke to take back to Gelsenkirchen.

Last game of the year against 1. FC Köln

After this comeback, the Royal Blues will hope to push on to finish 2017 on a high in their DFB-Pokal clash with 1. FC Köln in the VELTINS Arena with a place in the quarter finals at stake. The team will then have a short break before heading to a training camp in Benidorm on January 1st.

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