S04 beaten 3-0 by Augsburg

Three changes to the team

Head coach David Wagner made three changes to the team that lost the Revierderby a week ago. Alessandro Schöpf, Rabbi Matondo and Michael Gregoritsch replaced Jean-Clair Todibo (ankle), Amine Harit (ligament injury) and Benito Raman (bench). There was a minute’s silence before the game to remember the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, and both teams wore black armbands.

Löwen’s free kick gives FCA the lead

The Knappen had the first dangerous moment of the game, with Michael Gregoritsch’s cross-cum-shot tipped over the bar by FCA goalkeeper Andreas Luthe.

120 seconds later, the ball was in the wrong net from Schalke’s perspective. Eduard Löwen’s long-range free kick curled into the top corner, with Markus Schubert unable to keep it out despite getting his fingertips to it.

Matondo denied by Luthe

The Royal Blues needed to find a response and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession – at one stage almost 80%. Despite that, they couldn’t carve out any real openings. Suat Serdar blazed over from distance in the 25th minute. Three minutes after that, Rabbi Matondo burst down the left-hand side past Tin Jedvaj and cut inside. The Wales international couldn’t beat Luthe from a narrow angle though.

Schalke continued to have the ball for the majority of the first half, although both chances Gregoritsch looked to have were denied by last-ditch Augsburg clearances.

Serdar injured, replaced by Kutucu

Both sides returned for the second half without any changes. The visitors were quicker out the blocks, as Florian Niederlechner tested out Schubert (50’). Schalke were then forced into their first change, as Suat Serdar limped off injured. He was replaced by Ahmed Kutucu in the 55th minute.

Two more half chances for the Royal Blues through Schöpf (61’) and Caligiuri (62’) were both blocked, while Schubert tipped a Max free kick round the post in the 69th minute.

Sarenren Bazee and Cordova seal the win

Gregoritsch had a decent chance – and probably Schalke’s best after the break – in the 71st minute. His back post header was deflected round the post by Felix Udoukhai, although referee Sascha Stegemann gave a free kick to FCA.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 76th minute after Salif Sané’s header for Jonjoe Kenny landed to Noah Sarenren Bazee, who drove into the box and smashed it into the far corner past Schubert.

Schalke couldn’t respond to this and were punished again in added time. Levent Mercan was caught on the ball and Sergio Cordova rounded Schubert to add salt into the wounds for the Royal Blues.

Busy week with fixtures against Düsseldorf and Bremen

The next Bundesliga game for S04 is in three days away at Fortuna Düsseldorf (20:30 CEST). The next home match is against Werder Bremen on Saturday, 30th May (15:30 CEST).