S04 lose 5-2 at home to Hoffenheim

A debutant and two players return

Jonas Carls, an U23s player, made his Bundesliga debut. The left-back has made 20 appearances in the Oberliga Westfalen this season and replaced Bastian Oczipka in the team. There were three further changes to the side that drew 1-1 against Nürnberg. Suat Serdar returned after his suspension and Weston McKennie had also recovered from his ankle injury. Breel Embolo also came into the side. Nassim Boujellab, Amine Harit and Steven Skrzybski all dropped out.

Clinical Hoffenheim score twice

The game began without any notable events. The Royal Blues seemed to be on top early on and created two early opportunities. After 18 minutes, Daniel Caligiuri couldn’t beat Oliver Baumann after a Jonas Carls free-kick. Four minutes later Guido Burgstaller then poked a Caligiuri free-kick just past the post.

Until the 25th minute, there was little to no offensive threat from the visitors. This changed when Ishak Belfodil hammered past Alexander Nübel from the edge of the box. Schalke then had an opportunity to equaliser almost immediately after this. Breel Embolo and Guido Burgstaller weren’t on the same wavelength in a dangerous position, meaning that they lost the chance to score. The game was a lot scrappier, with a number of fouls slowing it down. TSG then added a second goal on the stroke of half time. Kerem Demirbay played in Andrej Kramaric, who’s shot nestled in the far corner.

Caligiuri scores from the spot

The Royal Blues had some more chances after the break but were unable to find the final killer ball. However, that changed on the hour mark when Daniel Caligiuri converted a penalty. Christian Dingert, the referee deemed the foul on Breel Embolo by Pavel Kaderabek to be a penalty and so it was given. Nevertheless, only five minutes later, the away side restored their two goal lead as substitute Adam Szalai made it 3-1. The ex-Schalke man nodded home from a Belfodil cross.

In the 73rd minute, the away side put the nail in the coffin as Nadiem Amiri got on the scoresheet. The midfielder finished nicely after a cross from Andrei Kramaric to make it 4-1. Up the other end, Suat Serdar had a chance but unfortunately his effort only hit the side-netting. Ishak Belfodil then went out the other end and scored to make it 5-1 in the 80th minute. Seconds before the final whistle, Guido Burgstaller scored a consolation after a good cross from Embolo.

Derby away from home, then Augsburg at home

The next game will not be any easier – it’s the Revierderby! The game will take place away from home on Saturday, (27/4, 15:30 CEST). The next home game is on May, 5th (13:30 CEST) against FC Augsburg.