week 26 - match report

Schalke go third after scoreless draw in Karlsruhe

After three Bundesliga victories in succession Schalke 04 had to settle for a goalless draw against SC Karlsruhe in front of 29,477 spectators at the Wildparkstadion on Saturday. The point sees the Royal Blues climb to third place in the table.

Nevertheless, Slomka was not entirely satisfied with his side's performance against the Bundesliga newcomers. "Even though we came more into the game in the last 25 minutes, ultimately we didn't do enough to get the win. So we have to be satisfied with a point away from home."

After missing last week's 2-1 win in Berlin through injury, Marcelo Bordon and Mladen Krstajic returned to the team to face Karlsruhe, Benedikt Höwedes and Carlos Grossmüller making way for the two central defenders. In a 4-4-2 system Heiko Westermann ran out at left-back with Christian Pander moving up to the left side of midfield.

The changes did not achieve the desired effect in the first half, however, with Schalke unable to repeat their first-half showing of last week at Hertha BSC. Their passing lacked accuracy and there was little movement going forward, which Slomka partly attributed to a good performance by the home side: "Karlsruhe were excellent today. They were uncompromising in the tackle and made life difficult for us."

Having learned the lessons of the reverse fixture, when they were twice caught out on the counterattack, Schalke's initial priority in the first half was to "stay solid and give our opponents no space", stressed Slomka. "But we didn't really manage that. We weren't compact enough."

Karlsruhe switched quickly from defence to attack whenever they won the ball. Yet neither Sebastian Freis (2'), Maik Franz (20'), Tamas Hajnal (27'), Alexander Iashvili (29'), Mario Eggimann (30') nor Stefan Buck (36') were able to find the target.

Schalke were disappointing going forward. "We didn't have any clear-cut chances", said Slomka. The only shot on goal came from Fabian Ernst in the 28th minute, but his effort cleared the crossbar.

Slomka made one change at half-time, introducing Vicente Sanchez for Halil Altintop. The Uruguay international added impetus to Schalke's attacking efforts and was involved in two dangerous situations, initially setting up Kevin Kuranyi, whose header was gathered by Karlsruhe keeper Markus Miller, and then crossing for Gerald Asamoah, who was denied by a last-ditch intervention by Christian Eichner. Schalke's biggest chance fell to Marcelo Bordon on 75, but his shot was deflected for a corner by Miller.

In the end the Royal Blues had Manuel Neuer to thank for the point. The Schalke keeper showed great alertness to deny Tamas Hajnal (52'), Joshua Kennedy (54'), Stefan Buck (57') and Kennedy again (60').

Karlsruhe: Miller – Görlitz, Eggimann, Franz, Eichner – Porcello, Buck – Freis, Hajnal, Iashvili (Timm 77') – Kennedy
Schalke 04: Neuer – Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Westermann – Ernst, Jones – Asamoah (Grossmüller 78'), Pander (Kobiashvili 63') – Altintop (Sanchez 46'), Kuranyi
Attendance: 29,477 (sold out)