Schalke lose 2-0 at Hoffenheim

Matondo and Schöpf start, McKennie and Serdar out injured

Coach David Wagner made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Köln. Suat Serdar (muscle injury) and Mark Uth (bench) were replaced by Alessandro Schöpf and Rabbi Matondo in the starting eleven. Weston McKennie didn’t travel to Sinsheim due to a muscle problem.

Caligiuri only hits the crossbar

In front of 29,400 spectators, including 5,500 travelling Schalke fans, the Schalke players tried to seize the advantage immediately. Not 180 seconds were played when Daniel Caligiuri arrowed a 32-yard free kick at the crossbar. Schalke pressed the hosts in their half from the start, tackled well and showed good passing interplay. As a result, David Wagner’s team had a number of chances to go ahead. Schöpf got on the end of another Caligiuri free kick but missed from seven yards (13’) and in the 24th minute the Austrian controlled the ball only for Guido Burgstaller to head over.

Schalke fail to turn their pressure into goals

The Royal Blues controlled the game, but could not find a way to score. Benjamin Stambouli played a wonderful long pass to Salif Sané, who tried to square it to the lurking Guido Burgstaller but his cross was cut out by Kevin Vogt in the last second (26’). Schalke managed to keep Hoffenheim at arm’s length for much of the first half, with the hosts being restricted to Stefan Posch’s 20-yard miss in the 34th minute being the only chance of note. Subsequently, the 0-0 half-time scoreline flattered the hosts.

Kramaric scores against the run of play

S04 were again dominant after the break and continued to control the game. The Royal Blues, however, failed to create any real chances to score. The closest David Wagner’s side got to the Hoffenheim goal was in the 60th minute after Kevin Akpoguma headed a Kenny cross up in the air. Keeper Baumann then almost punched the ball into his own net; however Burgstaller couldn’t get on the end of it and fouled the covering defender.

Hoffenheim then scored completely against the run of the play in the 71st minute. Ihlas Bebou mazed his way through the Schalke defence, only to see his shot well saved by Alexander Nübel. The rebound then fell to Andrej Kramaric, who made no mistake from ten yards out.

Bebou seals the win

Kramaric’s goal shocked the Knappen, who thereafter struggled to get forwards and threaten the Hoffenheim goal. The best chance fell to Burgstaller, however he couldn’t direct his header goalwards. Bebou then doubled the hosts’ lead with five minutes to go, thus condemning Schalke to their first away loss of the season.

Derby on Saturday

The Royal Blues’ next game is on Saturday (26/10), as they will host BVB for the 95th Revierderby in the Bundesliga.