Match report - Week 18

Schalke start the year on song with win over Stuttgart

FC Schalke 04 recorded a deserved 3-1 victory against VfB Stuttgart in the first game back after the mid-season break on Saturday. Joel Matip, Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Julian Draxler got the goals for the Royal Blues in front of a full house before Shinji Okazaki grabbed a consolation goal for the visitors three minutes before the end. Schalke have now scored as many goals this season as league leaders Bayern Munich.

In Chinedu Obasi there was a new face for the VELTINS Arena crowd to welcome. The Hoffenheim loanee was included in the starting line-up as head coach Huub Stevens opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Missing from the side were holding midfielders Lewis Holtby (ankle), and Jermaine Jones, who is suspended. Jefferson Farfan was also unavailable for selection due to a lack of match fitness.

Schalke made a perfect start to their first competitive match of the year, dominating from the outset and forcing the visitors into several errors early on. The opening goal came from a corner-kick after just three minutes. Alexander Baumjohann crossed into the box and Cristian Molinaro could only clear as far as Benedikt Höwedes, who headed towards goal for Joel Matip to steer the ball home from close range.

The Schalke fans were celebrating again just five minutes later when Klaas-Jan Huntelaar thought he had added a second. The forward was quickest to a parry by Stuttgart keeper Sven Ulreich following a Christian Fuchs free-kick, but match official Dr Felix Brych and his assistants incorrectly ruled that the Dutchman was in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

Stuttgart struggled to create chances against a well-drilled Schalke defence, ensuring Lars Unnerstall was a virtual spectator in the first half. The only test for the Schalke keeper was a well-placed shot by Martin Harnik from the inside left channel. There was plenty of action at the other end of the field, however. On 23 minutes Obasi tried his luck with a powerful shot from 17 metres after beating two opponents, but the Nigerian's shot flew just over the crossbar.

With half an hour gone Raul shot wide from the left-hand corner of the box, an effort that was to prove the last chance before the interval. The Royal Blues were clearly in control at this stage, however, and the only sour note to an otherwise excellent first half was an injury to Höwedes after 42 minutes that forced him to leave the field. The Schalke captain sustained a cheekbone injury after colliding with Marco Höger on the half-way line. He attempted to continue but eventually signalled to the bench that he had to go off and was replaced by Christoph Metzelder.

Stevens made a second change at half-time, introducing Julian Draxler for midfielder Alexander Baumjohann, who also sustained an injury in the first half. Schalke began the second period more cautiously than they did the first but were quick to mount an attack whenever they won possession. In the 57th minute Huntelaar latched onto a clever pass from Draxler and dispatched a left-foot shot that Ulreich had to turn round the post for a corner.

Schalke's second goal did arrive from the set piece, however, Kyriakos Papadopoulos rising to meet Draxler's pinpoint cross and head home. Stuttgart's first genuine goalscoring opportunity in the second half was a Cacau shot that Metzelder deflected just wide of the post. At the other end Schalke squandered two decent chances to extend their lead three minutes later when Ulreich denied Huntelaar in a one-on-one and then Draxler hesitated too long on the rebound, allowing Stefano Celozzi to clear the danger.

The visitors were gifted a second opportunity moments later from another deflection. Schieber beat Uchida on the edge of the box before whipping in a dangerous ball that Papadopoulos deflected towards his own goal. Fortunately Christian Fuchs was on the goal line and able to scrape the ball clear. Seven minutes later Cacau sent in a cross towards the far post that Pavel Pogrebnyak just failed to connect with despite escaping the attentions of Uchida.

There was still time for Schalke to add a third and it was Draxler who put the game out of reach with a wonderful goal on 80 minutes. The youngster created the opening himself by breaking up a Stuttgart move in midfield. After a passing move involving Ciprian Marica, Huntelaar and Raul the ball found its way to Draxler and the 18-year-old casually slotted a left-foot shot past Ulreich. Three minutes before the end Shinji Okazaki grabbed a consolation goal for the visitors with a tap-in after former Schalke player Tamas Hajnal had struck the post, but that could not take the gloss off a hugely deserved win for the Royal Blues.

Schalke: Unnerstall, Uchida, Papadopoulos, Höwedes (Metzelder 42'), Fuchs, Höger, Matip, Baumjohann (Draxler'), Raul, Obasi (Marica 74'), Huntelaar
Stuttgart: Ulreich, Celozzi, Tasci, Maza, Molinaro, Kuzmanovic, Kvist (Schieber 62'), Harnik (Okazaki 62'), Hajnal, Cacau, Pogrebnyak (Holzhauser 85')
Goals: 1-0 Matip (3'), 2-0 Papadopoulos (57'), 3-0 Draxler (80'), 3-1 Okazaki (87')
Referee: Dr Brych (Munich)
Attendance: 61,673 (sold out)
Yellow cards: Höger - Hajnal