Quickfire double condemns S04 to friendly defeat in Schweinfurt

Trio get valuable minutes

With assistant coaches Tim Hoogland and Eddie Lattimore in charge, the Royal Blues started with Kevin Müller in goal and a back-four of Adrian Gantenbein, Jonas Zgorecki (U19s), Felipe Sanchez and Anton Donkor. Max Grüger and Janik Bachmann formed the double pivot, with Christopher Antwi-Adjei, Zaid Tchibara, Christian Gomis and Alan Takoudjou (U19s) further forward. For Anton Donkor, Adrian Gantenbein and Christopher Antwi-Adjei, it was their first run-out since returning to training last week.

Schalke control more of the game, Schweinfurt hit the bar

The Royal Blues were the first to threaten, but Schweinfurt’s Devin Angleberger was able to head a long ball aimed into the run of Christian Gomis back to goalkeeper Toni Stahl (6’). A minute later, Alan Takoudjou won the game’s first corner. Felipe Sanchez got his header on target at the far post, though Stahl gathered comfortably (7’). After another corner, Gomis and Zaid Tchibara both lurked at the back post but could not force the ball over the line (9’).

The hosts then began to grow into the game, although the offside flag quickly went up after a pass from midfield sent Sebastian Müller through (12’). Six minutes later, Schweinfurt had the best chance of the game so far when Müller found himself clean through on his namesake Kevin Müller, only to hit the bar (18’). Just seconds later, his team-mate Luca Trslic was shown a yellow card after grabbing Tchibara by the shirt on the edge of the box and illegally stopping the Schalke attacker from getting his shot away (19’).

As planned, Gantenbein, Donkor and Antwi-Adjei came off after 25 minutes, with Max Hauswirth, Alexander Guiddir and Andri Buzolli replacing them. S04 kept trying to combine through midfield via Janik Bachmann, Tchibara and Takoudjou, but their next effort on goal did not arrive until the 36th minute. A long ball from Buzolli into the box sent Sanchez clean through, but the centre-back lifted his shot over Stahl’s goal. At the other end, Takoudjou also did well to snuff out a promising opening for the hosts in front of Leonard Langhans (43’), and the game went in goalless at the break.

Quickfire goals settle the game

Schweinfurt made seven changes at the start of the second half and returned with almost an entirely new side, whereas Schalke were unchanged. The fresh legs made an immediate impact, with the hosts striking twice in quick succession after the restart. Following a swift break, Joshua Endres fizzed the ball in from the left and Nico Grimbs finished to make it 1-0 (47’). Straight from the restart, the home side were in again, with Mustafa Özden squaring for Winners Osawe to fire into the far corner and make it 2-0 (48’).

After those two early goals, the game drifted back into midfield for a spell. Schweinfurt managed their lead, while the Royal Blues looked for a response but took some time to threaten again. Tchibara tried his luck with a turn and shot in the box, but his effort was blocked (59’). A few minutes later, he whipped in a dangerous cross that was also cleared away (65’). Soon after that, Toni Stahl claimed a ball flashed across goal after Tchibara had driven his way to the byline on the right (67’).

S04 saw more of the ball again during this phase and at times pressed high, but without reward. Alexander Guiddir drove into the box down the left and cut the ball back towards Peter Remmert, who had only just come on, but he could not connect. Behind him, Christian Gomis went for goal first time, only to see his effort blocked (75’). At the other end, Kevin Müller raced out to collect a through ball ahead of the Schweinfurt forward, but slipped outside his box in the process and conceded a free-kick that came to nothing for the hosts (77’).

Raphael Ott and Emil Zeil then came on for Alexander Guiddir and Janik Bachmann in the closing stages (82’). Schalke continued to probe in the remaining minutes, trying different routes to create an opening in front of the Schweinfurt goal, but the hosts held on to their 2-0 lead until referee Florian Badstübner blew for full time right on 90 minutes.

Home game on Easter Sunday

After the international break, the Royal Blues are back in 2. Bundesliga action on Easter Sunday (5/4), when they host Karlsruher SC at 13:30 CEST.