Week 20 - Match report

Schalke extend gap to sixth place with 2-0 win over Hoffenheim

The Royal Blues registered their first win over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at the fourth attempt to stay in contention at the top on Saturday evening. "I'm glad the players showed a good response after the 2-2 draw in Bochum," said Felix Magath after the final whistle.

The Schalke boss named the same side that started last week's local derby. And they began in an extremely compact 4-2-3-1 formation which enabled them to restrict the space available to a Hoffenheim side decimated by absentees. Building on this solid defence, the Royal Blues showed more strength of purpose than the visitors. "But we struggled again today and won the game through hard work rather than superior football," explained Magath.

Efficiency was the key to success, with Schalke taking the lead with their very first chance after 19 minutes. Rafinha ploughed his way through midfield and fed Kuranyi, who lifted the ball over TSG keeper Timo Hildebrand for his eleventh goal of the season. "That was a tremendous pass by Rafinha," said Magath in praise of his Brazilian defender. For the goalscorer, however, there was a jokey ticking-off. "Before the game we agreed that Kevin would score twice," the Schalke boss said with a grin. "There'll be consequences soon if he's not careful." After going ahead the Royal Blues sat back and looked for Kuranyi or Vicente Sanchez, primarily with long balls.

As both coaches agreed, the key moment of the game came just after the restart when Sanchez brought down Andreas Beck in his own penalty area. Referee Florian Meyer initially pointed to the spot, only to change his mind almost immediately. "I think he was swayed by his assistant on the touchline. At the moment we aren't able to shrug off terrible decisions like these," said a frustrated Hoffenheim boss Ralf Rangnick. "It doesn't look as though Sanchez got any of the ball," conceded Magath, "but I still think we deserved to win. We scored twice, so if they'd been given a penalty we'd simply have won 2-1. And we'd have taken that result as well today."

Schalke's second goal arrived moments later. Following a corner from the right Kuranyi diverted the ball into the path of Lukas Schmitz, who didn't hesitate, rifling a shot into the Hoffenheim net with the aid of a slight deflection off Marvin Compper. From then on the Royal Blues controlled the game with a performance of similar discipline to the one in the first half to extend the gap to sixth place to 13 points. "Fourth and fifth place are all I'm interested in, not the top of the table," stressed Magath. "Our prime aim is to qualify for a European competition. And we shouldn't forget that there are still another 14 games left to play."

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha (Mineiro 81'), Höwedes, Bordon, Schmitz - Matip - Moritz (Reginiussen 72'), Rakitic - Farfan, Kuranyi, Sanchez (Baumjohann 66')
Hoffenheim: Hildebrand - Beck, Nilsson, Compper, Eichner (Zuculini 32') - Ibertsberger (Jabiri 70'), Luiz Gustavo, Salihovic - Carlos Eduardo, Ibisevic, Vukcevic (Tagoe 82')
Goals: 1-0 Kuranyi (19'), 2-0 Schmitz (49')
Attendance: 60,402
Referee: Meyer (Burgdorf)
Yellow cards: Rakitic, Matip - Eichner (4), Salihovic (5/3), Beck (2), Nilsson