week 34 - match report

Schalke in Champions League after 2-1 win over Bielefeld

A well-deserved 2-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld saw the Royal Blues secure the runners-up spot in the Bundesliga and a place in the Champions League next season. Goals from Lincoln (12') and Halil Altintop (16') set Schalke on the road to victory early on. And for a while it seemed the impossible may become possible when VfB Stuttgart went behind at home to Energie Cottbus. But the Swabians eventually turned things round to win 2-1.

In the first half the VELTINS Arena was a cauldron of noise. "We expected them to put us under pressure but this was 'outstanding'", said Bielefeld coach Ernst Middendorp, actually using the English word to describe Schalke's attacking onslaught before the interval. "We were lucky to come in at half-time just 2-0 down." Lincoln (twice), Halil Altintop, Kuranyi and Asamoah all had golden opportunities to extend the lead. "We put them under extreme pressure in the first half and could have scored one or two more", said Schalke coach Mirko Slomka, agreeing with his counterpart's analysis. "If we had that might have put more pressure on Stuttgart."

Yet the Royal Blues had to consider a further factor amid all their efforts to add the two goals needed to take advantage of a possible Stuttgart draw: "We couldn't go all-out attack because we had to make sure we secured second place", explained Slomka. "I think we got the balance just right."

Indeed, Schalke were worthy of the fantastic support of the fans from start to finish, and after the restart they continued to throw everything at an extremely defensive-minded Bielefeld side. But unlike in the first half they did not get the early goals. "Schalke eventually began to show signs of physical and mental fatigue. They knew what their rivals were doing, after all", observed Middendorp. When Stuttgart took the lead around the hour mark, Schalke's hopes dwindled with every minute until the final whistle. Cottbus failed to level the scores, and the Royal Blues were unable to conjure up a third and fourth goal that would have allowed them to exploit any such equaliser, even though central defenders Marcelo Bordon and Mladen Krstajic were permanently to be found in attack. "For us it was a great experience to have been part of an occasion like this", said a visibly impressed Middendorp.

And when the visiting fans thought they had gained the upper hand with their mocking chants in the closing stages, they were drowned out by the home crowd. With a rendition of "Blue and white till I die" lasting several minutes the Schalke supporters showed their appreciation for their team's tireless efforts and underlined the fact that, when all is said and done, second place is still a success, for all the disappointment at missing out on the title.

"I'd like to congratulate VfB Stuttgart. Any side that wins the last eight games in succession deserves to win the league", said Slomka in summary. "But with our performances throughout the season we would have deserved it just as much, as would Werder Bremen, who played the best football in the first half of the campaign. We're second and in the Champions League. You have to be pleased with that."

Schalke 04 (2) 2-1 (0) Arminia Bielefeld

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Kobiashvili - Hamit Altintop, Ernst - Lincoln - Asamoah (Özil 46'), Kuranyi (Larsen 84'), Halil Altintop (Lovenkrands 78')
Bielefeld: Hain - Bollmann, Kucera, Gabriel, Westermann - Tesche (Kamper 46'), Kauf, Böhme (Wichniarek 70'), Rau - Eigler, Zuma (Marx 46')
Goals: 1-0 Lincoln (12'), 2-0 Halil Altintop (16'), 2-1 Kucera (90'+1)
Attendance: 61,482 (sold out)
Referee: Dr Felix Brych (Munich)
Yellow cards: none