Week 28 - Match report

Schalke go top after fine 2-0 win in Leverkusen

Kevin Kuranyi on the fence with the megaphone, a loud rendition of Happy Birthday for Manuel Neuer and an extensive repertoire of Schalke songs from the visitors section for the entire second half: Schalke's sensational leap to the top of the table after the 2-0 win at Bayer Leverkusen made for some wonderful moments after the final whistle.

"It was a nice win and a strong performance," said a satisfied Felix Magath, who was also hailed loudly by the fans. With six matches left to play the Royal Blues sit top of the pile and on Easter Saturday play host to Bayern Munich, who surrendered pole position after a 2-1 home defeat to VfB Stuttgart. So it was only natural that there were lots of questions about a possible league title after the final whistle. "If we beat Bayern, we have a chance of winning it," remarked Magath. "But Bayern have the easiest run-in. We have to expect them to collect lots of points. And we haven't always been in command of things."

But Schalke were very much in command of things in Leverkusen. In the first half many in the crowd will have been wondering just who had gone 120 minutes in the cup three days earlier. Surely not the Royal Blues, for whom Rafinha and Edu, in for Lukas Schmitz and Alexander Baumjohann, were the only players not to see any action against Bayern.

Felix Magath's men were focused from the off, leaving no gaps for the home side, usually such a strong footballing outfit, to penetrate. On the contrary, it was the Royal Blues who were winning lots of tackles in midfield and moving the ball forward right away. A policy of jab and move that twice bore fruit in the opening half an hour, Kevin Kuranyi striking once with his foot and once with his head for a 2-0 lead at the half. And with Joachim Löw sitting in the stands, the travelling Schalke support were quick to call on the Germany coach to 'get his eyes open'.

After the interval the Germany boss and a crowd of 30,210 looked on as Schalke left Leverkusen with no way back into the game. "After the second goal it was very difficult to do anything about the result. Schalke played with intelligence and prevented us from showing what we are capable of in attack," said Leverkusen coach Jupp Heynckes, who was fair in defeat though obviously disappointed to have lost. The very opposite of how everyone in the Schalke camp will have felt that evening…

Leverkusen: Adler – Schwaab (Kadlec 46'), Friedrich, Hyypia, Castro – Reinartz – Renato Augusto (Sarpei 62'), Kroos, Barnetta – Derdiyok, Helmes (Bender 46')
Schalke: Neuer - Höwedes, Westermann, Bordon, Rafinha - Matip - Kluge (Moritz 78'), Rakitic - Farfan, Kuranyi (Schmitz 89'), Edu (Hao 70')
Goals: 0-1 Kuranyi (11'), 0-2 Kuranyi (28')
Referee: Weiner (Giesen)
Attendance: 30,210 (sold out)
Yellow cards: Schwaab, Kroos, Kadlec – Bordon, Rakitic