week 11 - match report

Schalke held to 1-1 draw against Werder

Head coach Mirko Slomka hit the nail on the head in his analysis of the 1-1 draw against Bremen: "The fans have seen a really good game of football that both teams could have won. We're not entirely satisfied, though, because Werder still have a three point lead over us."

The Schalke boss made two changes to the side that lost 2-0 at Chelsea, the fit-again Christian Pander and Kevin Kuranyi coming in for Soren Larsen and Dario Rodriguez. And they started with a flourish, moving the ball around at pace and taking a deserved lead in the 14th minute thanks to Carlos Grossmüller's free-kick, his first goal in the Bundesliga. "In the first 20 to 25 minutes we had Bremen totally under control", said general manager Andreas Müller, "but we couldn't keep it up".

A view shared by Slomka: "What annoys me personally is that after taking the lead following a spell of constant pressure, we relinquished control of the game." That Bremen fought their way back into the game had something to do with it, of course. "Werder started putting us under pressure and we were no longer able to keep them away from our goal." Müller added: "Having taken the lead we should have played with more confidence and sought to add a second." But instead the visitors restored parity through a Naldo header on 34, and it was no more than they deserved.

The game was played at an even faster pace in the second half. "It was a very intensive game of football that had a bit of everything: lots of tackles, goalmouth action and two teams determined to go forward in search of a winner", said Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. Sometimes it seemed as if Werder, with chances for Frings, Almeida and Sanogo, were more likely to edge in front, but Jones, Grossmüller and Kuranyi also had great chances to add a second for Schalke.

"Both teams could have won the game, and looking at it subjectively both could claim to have had the better chances", concluded Slomka. "But because neither side was able to convert one of these chances, we have to be satisfied with the result", said his opposite number Schaaf. Looking at the table after this entertaining game, the visitors had more reason to be satisfied than the Royal Blues, though.

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Westermann, Bordon, Pander - Jones, Ernst - Grossmüller - Asamoah, Kuranyi, Lovenkrands (Rakitic 63')
Bremen: Wiese - Harnik, Mertesacker, Naldo, Tosic - Frings - Borowski (Vranjes 90'), Jensen (Baumann 32') - Diego - Sanogo (Rosenberg 84'), Almeida
Goals: 1-0 Grossmüller (14'), 1-1 Naldo (34')
Referee: Fandel (Kyllburg)
Attendance: 61,482 (sold out)
Yellow cards: Grossmüller, Bordon (4), Rafinha, Jones - Frings, Baumann, Tosic (3)