round 2 - match report

Tactical switch ushers in victory over Hannover

Schalke 04 will overwinter in the DFB Cup thanks to a 2-0 win after extra-time against Hannover 96. At the end of a nerve-wracking 120 minutes both coaches agreed that the game was decided by a tactical switch made by the Royal Blues just after half-time.

Three days after the 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga Mirko Slomka made two changes to his starting line-up. Mladen Krstajic celebrated his comeback after a two-month injury layoff, leaving Heiko Westermann to start on the bench, and Ivan Rakitic came in for Peter Lovenkrands, who had been labouring with a virus.

The Schalke boss had little positive to say about his side's performance before the break. "It was a disastrous first half that I'd prefer to forget", he said. "With our 4-4-2 formation we wanted to achieve a numerical advantage in midfield and utilise our footballing strengths there. That didn't work, and we were ineffective in attack as well." Added to this was the fact that Hannover began in the kind of form that has recently made them so successful in the Bundesliga.

Both sides lacked punch in attack, however. Fahrenhorst's mishit clearance onto his own crossbar in the 24th minute was the closest anyone came to breaking the deadlock. "We had phases in which we were better, especially in the first half. Some things were very good, such as our tactical adjustment and defensive work", explained Hannover coach Dieter Hecking. "But to knock a team like Schalke out of the cup you have to make concerted attacks on their goal. We were unable to do that."

For their part, the Royal Blues regained their rhythm after the interval, not least thanks to a change made by Slomka, who introduced a third striker in Lovenkrands. "From then on it was really good. You could tell the players are much more familiar with that system", the 40-year-old said, which left only a lack of effectiveness to criticise. "We had chances to settle the game in the 90 minutes and shouldn't have had to go another 30."

In extra-time the Royal Blues had the luck of the brave when Hannover keeper Robert Enke inadvertently pushed Rafinha's mishit cross into his own net off the inside of the post (97')."We should have killed the tie off sooner after that because there's always a risk the opposition will score and thus take the game to penalties", added Slomka, who like most of the 60,000 spectators was left on tenterhooks as Schalke continued to miss chances. A minute from time they were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm pleased Kuranyi scored after going through something of a goal drought", said a delighted Schalke boss.

In assessing the result the two coaches took a similar view. "Schalke had the better chances and deserved to win after 120 minutes", acknowledged Dieter Hecking. While Mirko Slomka said: "I'm glad we're through to the next round of the DFB Cup."

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Pander (Westermann 91') - Ernst - Grossmüller, Jones - Rakitic (Lovenkrands 55') - Asamoah (Azaouagh 106'), Kuranyi
Hannover: Enke - Cherundolo, Vinicius, Fahrenhorst, Tarnat - Balitsch (Lauth 101'), Schulz - Rosenthal (Bruggink 110'), Pinto (Stajner 82'), Huszti – Hanke
Goals: 1-0 Enke (own goal 97'), 2-0 Kuranyi (119')
Referee: Gagelmann (Bremen)
Attendance: 60,224
Yellow cards: Jones - Rosenthal, Schulz

Tactical switch ushers in victory over Hannover

Schalke 04 will overwinter in the DFB Cup thanks to a 2-0 win after extra-time against Hannover 96. At the end of a nerve-wracking 120 minutes both coaches agreed that the game was decided by a tactical switch made by the Royal Blues just after half-time.

Three days after the 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga Mirko Slomka made two changes to his starting line-up. Mladen Krstajic celebrated his comeback after a two-month injury layoff, leaving Heiko Westermann to start on the bench, and Ivan Rakitic came in for Peter Lovenkrands, who had been labouring with a virus.

The Schalke boss had little positive to say about his side's performance before the break. "It was a disastrous first half that I'd prefer to forget", he said. "With our 4-4-2 formation we wanted to achieve a numerical advantage in midfield and utilise our footballing strengths there. That didn't work, and we were ineffective in attack as well." Added to this was the fact that Hannover began in the kind of form that has recently made them so successful in the Bundesliga.

Both sides lacked punch in attack, however. Fahrenhorst's mishit clearance onto his own crossbar in the 24th minute was the closest anyone came to breaking the deadlock. "We had phases in which we were better, especially in the first half. Some things were very good, such as our tactical adjustment and defensive work", explained Hannover coach Dieter Hecking. "But to knock a team like Schalke out of the cup you have to make concerted attacks on their goal. We were unable to do that."

For their part, the Royal Blues regained their rhythm after the interval, not least thanks to a change made by Slomka, who introduced a third striker in Lovenkrands. "From then on it was really good. You could tell the players are much more familiar with that system", the 40-year-old said, which left only a lack of effectiveness to criticise. "We had chances to settle the game in the 90 minutes and shouldn't have had to go another 30."

In extra-time the Royal Blues had the luck of the brave when Hannover keeper Robert Enke inadvertently pushed Rafinha's mishit cross into his own net off the inside of the post (97')."We should have killed the tie off sooner after that because there's always a risk the opposition will score and thus take the game to penalties", added Slomka, who like most of the 60,000 spectators was left on tenterhooks as Schalke continued to miss chances. A minute from time they were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm pleased Kuranyi scored after going through something of a goal drought", said a delighted Schalke boss.

In assessing the result the two coaches took a similar view. "Schalke had the better chances and deserved to win after 120 minutes", acknowledged Dieter Hecking. While Mirko Slomka said: "I'm glad we're through to the next round of the DFB Cup."

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Pander (Westermann 91') - Ernst - Grossmüller, Jones - Rakitic (Lovenkrands 55') - Asamoah (Azaouagh 106'), Kuranyi
Hannover: Enke - Cherundolo, Vinicius, Fahrenhorst, Tarnat - Balitsch (Lauth 101'), Schulz - Rosenthal (Bruggink 110'), Pinto (Stajner 82'), Huszti – Hanke
Goals: 1-0 Enke (own goal 97'), 2-0 Kuranyi (119')
Referee: Gagelmann (Bremen)
Attendance: 60,224
Yellow cards: Jones - Rosenthal, Schulz