Semi-final: Schalke - Sevilla Report
Krstajic sent off in 0-0 draw with Sevilla
Schalke: Rost - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Kobiashvili - Ernst (Bajramovic 74'), Poulsen, Varela (Kuranyi 65') - Altintop (Lincoln 46') - Asamoah, Larsen
Sevilla: Palop - Daniel Alves, Navarro, Escude, Castedo - Marti, Navas, Maresca, Puerta (Adriano Correia 82') - Saviola (Fabiano 62'), Kanoute (Renato 32')
Attendance: 53,551
Referee: Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norway)
Red card: Krstajic - violent conduct (80')
Yellow cards: Ernst (4) - Navarro (3)
Schalke 04 (0) 0-0 (0) FC Sevilla
Though all is not lost for the Royal Blues, the return leg is going to be a tough nut to crack. In the first leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final Schalke 04 had to settle for a 0-0 draw against FC Sevilla. Schalke's misery was compounded when Mladen Krstajic was shown the red card just before the end.
The visitors did not focus solely on defending, however. After 23 minutes Saviola gave his marker the slip on the halfway line and was finally brought to a halt by Marcelo Bordon on the edge of the area. Jesus Navas pounced on the loose ball and drove it just wide of the right-hand upright. Navas had the next chance as well seven minutes before the interval when he finished off a counterattack with a shot from the inside-right position. Frank Rost was down quickly, though, and turned the ball away for a corner.
At the beginning of the second half Schalke coach Mirko Slomka introduced Lincoln for Hamit Altintop. The Brazilian playmaker has been the subject of criticism just recently but announced his return with a committed performance that gave new impetus to the home side's play. But at the other end Navas embarked on a mazy run before dispatching a shot just wide of the left-hand angle of the goal (66').
Schalke went on to create a string of chances in the final 20 minutes. On 73 Lincoln broke clear down the right-hand side and unleashed a left-foot shot, only for Palop to make the save. Then Larsen laid off the ball perfectly for Lincoln, who powered his way into the area. Unfortunately, though, his effort was too wayward for a shot and much too fine for Kevin Kuranyi, who had also been introduced as a second-half substitute.
Then, ten minutes before the end, a roar of indignation rang round the VELTINS Arena. Krstajic had won an initial tackle against Navas and, in attempting to hold off the Sevilla player's next challenge, threw his elbow back. Navas fell to the ground as if struck by lighting, whereupon referee Ovrebo showed the Serbia & Montenegro international the red card. But the Royal Blues continued to drive forward even with a man short. And when Bordon headed an inswinging corner towards goal from close range it looked for all the world as if it were going in – until, that is, Palop somehow tipped the ball over the top.
The Royal Blues had legitimate grounds to be angry with the Norwegian officials in the final minute of normal time. Because at the moment Zlatan Bajramovic put Lincoln through with a neat pass the Brazilian was not in the offside position indicated by the linesman. So when Kuranyi stabbed the ball home from close range, the goal should have counted.
Sevilla then launched a final counterattack via Navas. Bordon dashed across to challenge, and the resulting shot from Luis Fabiano was gathered by Rost.
Sevilla came to Gelsenkirchen obviously intent on not conceding a goal. Apart from strikers Javier Saviola and Frederic Kanoute, the Spaniards often had everyone behind the ball. Yet the Royal Blues still carved out a good chance in the early stages. Sören Larsen headed Rafinha's cross down for Gerald Asamoah, who forced Sevilla keeper Andres Palop into a fine save with a left-foot shot from twelve metres.
