round 2 - report
Mini-derby never in doubt as Royal Blues win 3-0 in Bochum
FC Schalke 04 won at VfL Bochum in the second round of the DFB Cup with a repeat of the scoreline from the Bundesliga meeting in August. In front of 29,592 fans, almost half of them supporting the Royal Blues, the game ended 3-0 thanks to strikes from Heiko Westermann (10'), Halil Altintop (56') and an own goal by Christian Fuchs.
"We've seen a genuine cup scrap with plenty of effort and passion. The game could have gone either way for long periods. But my young team held their own very well and got the goals at the right time. That meant we more or less controlled the game and with our fighting spirit we deserved the win", said Felix Magath after the final whistle.
The Schalke boss made three changes to the side that started the home game against VfL Wolfsburg last Friday, Christoph Moritz, Halil Altintop and Carlos Zambrano coming in for Vasileios Pliatsikas, Gerald Asamoah and Levan Kobiashvili.
It was a very physical and intensive affair from the off, with Schalke enjoying more of the possession. And after Bochum goalkeeper Andreas Luthe had blocked a shot from Christoph Moritz in the sixth minute, the Royal Blues opened the scoring with their second chance. The industrious Levan Kenia swung in a free-kick and Heiko Westermann was on hand to head his side into an early lead.
The game lacked fluency for much of the first half due to the stop-start nature of the contest as referee Florian Meyer booked seven players before the interval. Nevertheless Schalke retained the upper hand, their well organised defence making it very difficult for Bochum to get going. Manuel Neuer had to intervene just once, on 14 minutes, when he was tested by Dennis Grote's shot on the turn.
Yet even though the Royal Blues had the game largely under control, they too lacked punch in attack. They were always a threat from set pieces, with Marcelo Bordon (twice) and Benedikt Höwedes going close, but overall the final pass rarely found its target.
The second half began with the home side firmly in the ascendency. Bochum upped the tempo and forced the Royal Blues onto the back foot in the first few minutes. Dennis Grote went down in the Schalke penalty area in a race with Höwedes, but Meyer waved play on. And just as the pressure was mounting, the Royal Blues struck in clinical fashion on the counterattack. Jefferson Farfan forced his way past two Bochum players on the right-hand side and his cross found Halil Altintop, who netted from three metres.
After the second goal Felix Magath's men regained their grip on the proceedings and, with the exception of a chance for Daniel Imhof on 58, they were able to keep Bochum away from their goal. And the Royal Blues finally killed the game off on 76 after a slick break involving Rafinha and the impressive Farfan. The Peruvian was sent clear by Rafinha and played a low ball into the middle, where Bochum's Christian Fuchs could only divert the cross into his own net.
By the closing stages the match had long been turned into a home fixture by the Schalke fans with their fantastic support, and though Bochum continued to search for a consolation goal, the Royal Blues saw the game out and deservedly progressed into round three.
VfL Bochum: Luthe - Maltritz (Pfertzel 77'), Dabrowski, Fuchs, Freier, Epallé, Klimowicz (Dedic 68'), Imhof (Hashemian 66'), Grote, Mavraj, Yahia
FC Schalke 04: Neuer - Höwedes, Zambrano, Bordon, Westermann - Rafinha (Pliatsikas 76'), Moritz, Schmitz, Kenia (Rakitic 60') - Altintop, Farfan
Goals: 0-1 Westermann (10'), 0-2 Altintop (56'), 0-3 Fuchs (o.g. 76')
Yellow cards: Fuchs, Freier, Klimowicz, Imhof, Grote - Bordon, Kenia, Höwedes
Attendance: 29,592
Referee: Florian Meyer (Burgdorf)
