Schalke mark first away kit outing with 3-2 win over Bocholt

Schalke debut for Katic

In their match against the West-Regionalliga side, Schalke played in their new away kit for the first time, which has been available online (shop.schalke04.de) and in all S04 fan shops since Saturday. Nikola Katic, who signed for the Royal Blues last Tuesday (1/7), celebrated his debut for the side in Bocholt. The centre-back started the match and was taken off after half an hour as planned.

First chances for S04 through Ba

Schalke took the game by the scruff of the neck from the outset and could have taken the lead as early as the second minute. Pape Meïssa Ba put Bocholt keeper Lucas Fox under pressure and poked the ball away and towards goal, but it ended up rolling just past the post. There was a similar scenario four minutes later. Ba intervened as Fox looked to make another pass. The ball fell to Christopher Antwi-Adjei, whose pass across the face of goal was cleared by defender Julian Riedel.

After that, the hosts began to grow into the game. The Regionalliga side created their first noteworthy chance in the 21st minute. Cedric Euschen played a pass down the left wing to Marko Stojanovic who cut inside and looked to bend one into the far corner. Justin Heekeren got down quickly and parried the ball away. At the other end of the pitch, Pape Meïssa Ba tested Lucas Fox with a low, driven shot from around 17 yards out, but Bocholt’s keeper was also in the right place at the right time (26’). In the meantime, Amin Younes departed the action due to injury. Ayman Gulasi replaced him in the 24th minute.

Shortly before the first break, Justin Heekeren maintained the deadlock. After Bocholt sent a long ball forward, Nicolas Hirschberger found himself unmarked in front of Schalke’s goal. In the one-on-one, though, Heekeren reacted magnificently and denied the attacker with an outstretched arm (30’).

Ayman Gulasi scores just before the break

Following a short drinks break, Martcan Ayhan came on for Nikola Katic – a substitution that had been planned before kick-off. In the 37th minute. Christopher Antwi-Adjei met Adrian Gantenbein’s deflected cross, though his header was off-target. A minute later, Antwi-Adjei looked to threaten in the box again after some individual brilliance from Soufiane El-Faouzi. Once more, Lucas Fox was equal to the task and kept the scores level (38’).

As the clock ticked on, the effect of intense training sessions over the past few days on both sides was evident. There continued to be a lack of clear-cut chances until the second minute of added time. Anton Donkor played Antwi-Adjei down the wing, whose whipped ball into the box found Ayman Gulasi. The 19-year-old’s first-time effort left Fox powerless and gave the Royal Blues a 1-0 lead going into the break.

Eight changes for Schalke – Remmert doubles advantage

At the start of the second half, Miron Muslic made a host of changes. In Johannes Siebeking, Vitalie Becker, Felipe Sanchez, Henning Matriciani, Max Grüger, Mauro Zalazar, Ilyes Hamache and Peter Remmert, a total of eight new players entered the fray. None of the Royal Blues who started the game were on the pitch at the start of the second hour.

S04 kept Bocholt at bay and carved out a huge chance to make it 2-0 in the 67th minute. After some intricate build-up play, Max Grüger squared the ball to Vitalie Becker. His venomous cross found Peter Remmert who fired just wide from close range. Nine minutes later, Schalke won the ball back high up the pitch with some aggressive pressing. Ilyes Hamache danced past a number of opposition players. His driven effort from eleven yards out looked to be heading straight for the bottom right corner before it was palmed out for a corner by Fox.

Schalke finally bagged their second in the 81st minute. Mika Khadr chipped the ball in behind the Bocholt defensive line, where Henning Matriciani latched onto it. He swung a delivery into the box from the right flank, where Peter Remmert was waiting to fire it home from five yards out.

Bocholt equalise, but Hamache wins it from the spot

The hosts refused to go down without a fight, though. In the 98th minute, referee Marten Kaufels awarded a penalty following Felipe Sanchez’s challenge on Isaak Akritidis. Arnold Budimbu gave keeper Johannes Siebeking no chance, smashing it into back of the net to get one back for Bocholt (99’).

The Royal Blues looked to respond immediately and created a succession of promising chances. Ilyes Hamache’s shot from Vitalie Becker’s cross was too central (102’), and Henning Matriciani’s effort from distance caused no problems for substitute keeper Haakon Pomorin (109’). The next goal would come against the run of play, as Bocholt levelled things up again. Siebeking parried Marvin Lorch’s attempt away from goal, but Philipp Hanke pounced on the rebound and poked home to make it 2-2 (110’).

S04 managed to come away with a result, however. In the 114th minute, Moussa Sylla was fouled in the box by Marvin Lorch. Ilyes Hamache stepped up to take the resulting spot kick and coolly converted it to make it 3-2 (115’), which is how it remained up until the final whistle.

Friendlies at training camp

On Monday (7/7), the Royal Blues will travel to Neustift im Subaital in Austria for their training camp which will last until 14th July. During their stay, Miron Muslic’s side have three friendlies on the agenda. At 18:00 CEST on 9th July, they take on Pananthinaikos, before two matches on 12th July against SV Wehen Wiesbaden (12:00 CEST), then FC St. Gallen (15:00 CEST).