week 16 - match report
Schalke keep in touch at the top with 3-1 win over Dortmund
Schalke 04 ended a run of four matches without a derby win at the VELTINS Arena with a thoroughly deserved 3-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Sunday afternoon. Kevin Kuranyi and Peter Lovenkrands got on the scoresheet for the Royal Blues, but the turning-point was most definitely Christian Pander's opener.
Head coach Mirko Slomka made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 in Nürnberg last week. Dario Rodriguez returned to central defence for the suspended Marcelo Bordon, while Gustavo Varela started in place of Hamit Altintop. Schalke needed a while to adjust to this formation and during this phase the visitors knocked the ball around well, creating the odd half chance without ever seriously threatening.
"When two teams come up against each other playing exactly the same formation, the main task is to create space for your 'number six'. In the beginning Dortmund did this better than we did", explained Slomka. But all that changed on 14 minutes when Christian Pander floated in a free-kick from 40 metres that sailed past friend and foe and into the far corner to give the home side the lead. "At that moment we didn't just give a goal away, we gave away the initiative and with it the game", said a fuming Dortmund boss, Bert van Marwijk. The Dutchman was just as annoyed with Schalke's second goal through Kevin Kuranyi, who was allowed to head home completely unmarked from five metres. "That was naïve. In a situation like that we have to show presence and be more audacious", demanded van Marwijk. Two set pieces, two goals - a result of the work Schalke have done in training in recent weeks.
After the interval the Royal Blues had a surprise in store for everyone in the Schalke camp: "The beginning of the second half is usually the phase when we experience a few problems", grinned Slomka. This time, though, Peter Lovenkrands settled the game as a contest immediately after the restart by adding a third following a peach of a pass from Kuranyi. But Slomka was not entirely happy with his side's showing thereafter. "Too often we failed to get the ball forward quickly enough and too often we were content just to see the game out", complained the 39-year-old coach, who described Alexander Frei's consolation goal as "slight dampener".
Even so it did nothing to lessen the celebrations after the final whistle. "After yesterday's results we were under pressure - but we withstood it well", said Slomka, delighted at reclaiming second place in the table. "We now have the chance to go into the winter break level on points with the league leaders, if we don't top the table ourselves."
After the match the Schalke players took their leave from the Arena crowd until 2007 by presenting a banner with the following message: "We are Schalke - with a passion." This local derby provided impressive evidence of that.
Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Rodriguez, Krstajic, Pander - Ernst - Varela (Lincoln 81'), Kobiashvili - Halil Altintop (Hamit Altintop 64'), Kuranyi (Larsen 81'), Lovenkrands
Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Degen, Amedick, Brzenska (Metzelder 58'), Dede - Sahin - Tinga, Kringe - Valdez (Amoah 23'), Frei (Tyrala 83'), Smolarek
Goals: 1-0 Pander (14'), 2-0 Kuranyi (25'), 3-0 Lövenkrands (47'), 3-1 Frei (82'
Attendance: 61,482 (sold out)
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Landshut)
Yellow cards: Rodriguez (4) - Frei (5), Tinga (5), Degen (4)
