week 28 - match report

Slomka hails Asamoah and Özil after 2-0 win over Gladbach

The Royal Blues successfully defended their lead at the top of the table on Saturday afternoon. And this time they did not have to rely on results going their way to do it, brushing aside Borussia Mönchengladbach with a deserved 2-0 win at the VELTINS Arena. Goals from Gerald Asamoah and Kevin Kuranyi were the logical consequence of a performance that also impressed Gladbach coach Jos Luhukay: "Schalke were relentless going forward. By exerting plenty of pressure and raising the pace they eventually prised us open."

Mirko Slomka was forced to make two changes for the visit of Gladbach, Hamit Altintop and Mesut Özil coming in for the injured Peter Lovenkrands and the suspended Fabian Ernst, while Gerald Asamoah got the nod over Halil Altintop, who started on the bench. Measures that were to prove very valuable. "Two players are worthy of special praise: Asamoah und Özil", noted Slomka after the final whistle. "Gerald was involved in a fascinating battle with Marcell Jansen and did almost everything we asked of him", the Schalke boss said. "And Mesut is really still an under-19 youth player, but he's already established himself in the senior squad. He set up the first goal with a fast, dribbling run and also had a great chance in the first half."

Yet it was the visitors who were the first to make their mark on the game. "We wanted to switch from defence to attack as quickly as possible every time we got the chance, and initially we did try to play a counterattacking game", said Luhukay, describing Gladbach's tactical concept. "In this phase we had two chances through Nando Rafael and Moses Lamidi that could have taken the game in a different direction." But Rafinha stepped in before Rafael's shot could cross the line and Lamidi was denied by the crossbar. After that, "Schalke took control of the game, playing some good, variable football through the middle and down the flanks that saw them create several chances", praised the Borussia coach. As, for example, when Asamoah's header struck the bar (22'), Özil shot narrowly wide of the right-hand upright after a fine solo run (29') and Hamit Altintop's left-foot drive flew just over the top (39').

A draw against the bottom side would obviously not have been enough for the Royal Blues in their bid to win the championship. And so they moved up another gear after the interval. "We increased our efforts significantly after the break. We controlled the ball much better and had more shots on goal", said Slomka. And though Rafinha missed his side's first golden opportunity, Gerald Asamoah took the second after some great work by Özil and Kuranyi on 57 and Kuranyi headed home Christian Pander's cross for the second 14 minutes later.

"We had to battle hard in the first half, but in the second we stepped up the pace significantly and also had that little bit of luck you need", said Slomka in summary of his team's successful defence of their lead at the top of the table.

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Pander - Bajramovic, Hamit Altintop (Hoogland 90'), Kobiashvili - Asamoah (Halil Altintop 65'), Kuranyi, Özil (Kunert 90')
Mönchengladbach: Keller - Bogelund, Gohouri, Ze Antonio, Jansen - Svard (Polanski 35'), El Fakiri, Insua, Compper (Thygesen 46') - Lamidi (Neuville 68'), Rafael
Referee: Meyer (Burgdorf)
Goals: 1-0 Asamoah (57'), 2-0 Kuranyi (71')
Attendance: 61,482 (sold out)
Yellow cards: - Svard, Gohouri (3)