week 25 - match report

Schalke right back in contention after 2-1 win in Berlin

With their rivals dropping points elsewhere Schalke completed a successful Easter weekend by winning 2-1 at Hertha BSC Berlin to move within touching distance of a Champions League berth. The Royal Blues grabbed a vital three points despite being without several key players.

In addition to Ivan Rakitic, Gustavo Varela, Mladen Krstajic and Levan Kobiashvili, head coach Mirko Slomka also had to manage without Marcelo Bordon at the Olympic Stadium after the Brazilian was ruled out by a groin injury. Heiko Westermann and home-grown talent Benedikt Höwedes thus formed the central defensive pairing in what was a very young Schalke rearguard. But the Royal Blues displayed some clinical finishing in front of goal, racing into a 2-0 lead before the home side had had a chance to find their rhythm.

Gerald Asamoah opened the scoring on 12, heading home Christian Pander's free-kick, and 11 minutes later Jermaine Jones capitalised on a defensive error to cap a fine solo run from the half-way line with his first Bundesliga goal in Schalke colours. "We played some very composed football in the first half, we were effective and moved the ball around well", said Slomka, delighted with the surprise effect. Nevertheless, Manuel Neuer had to reproduce his outstanding form of recent weeks to deny Raffael and Gojko Kacar, with Rafinha also clearing off the line to ensure Schalke maintained their two-goal lead at the break.

After the restart the Royal Blues struggled to relieve the pressure on their defence, showing little of the bold forward play of the first 45. "In the second half we allowed the home side to push us right back", acknowledged Slomka. "But some of our players were making their first starts for quite a while and, significantly, had never played in this formation before. In situations like that you're happier to take two steps back when you're under pressure rather than attack."

As the game wore on Hertha posed an increasing threat on the Schalke goal. "We were asleep in the first 20 minutes, but we played well after that", said Hertha coach Lucien Favre. The Royal Blues frequently had to mobilise all their resources to get in a defensive block and Neuer was kept very busy. And with 67 minutes gone they were finally breached when Höwedes brought down Kacar in the box and Sofian Chahed stepped up to reduce the deficit from the spot. But try as they might the home side were unable to conjure up an equaliser. After attacking the Schalke goal for almost an hour they eventually ran out of steam in the final quarter of an hour. And Jones almost settled it for the visitors ten minutes from time with a curling effort that goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny did well to save.

Yet even without a third goal the Royal Blues were delighted with the outcome after the final whistle. They are now level on points with Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen in third and fourth place and just two behind SV Hamburg in second. "After we lost three in succession our aim was to get back within reach of a Champions League spot", recalled Slomka. "And with three wins in a row we've done just that."

Hertha: Drobny - Friedrich, Simunic, von Bergen - Chahed, Lustenberger, Kacar, Skacel (Okoronkwo 82') - Ebert (Piszczek 68'), Raffael - Andre Lima

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Westermann, Höwedes, Pander - Jones, Ernst - Asamoah, Grossmüller (Lovenkrands 73') - Kuranyi (Larsen 88'), Altintop (Sanchez 84')

Referee: Fleischer (Sigmertshausen)

Goals: 0-1 Asamoah (12'), 0-2 Jones (23'), 1-2 Chahed (67'/penalty)

Attendance: 54,179

Yellow cards: Simunic (5), Andre Lima - Asamoah (3)