In the first Bundesliga home game, VAR helped Schalke to a happy, but not undeserved 2-2 win against Mönchengladbach in injury time. In terms of attitude, however, the team of coach Frank Kramer emphatically proved its suitability for the top division.
Frank Kramer is considered level-headed and calm among Bundesliga coaches. On Saturday evening, however, the new head of training at FC Schalke 04 was carried away by the overwhelming atmosphere. When the Gelsenkirchen kickers scored a late equalizer in the home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach – the goal came in the third minute of injury time – the 50-year-old football teacher sprinted at full throttle along the sidelines to the cheering cluster of players that Mats Hummels would have turned green with envy.
The goal to make it 2:2 (1:0) and the associated first point win for the promoted team, which Marius Bülter had scored with his second goal of the season, not only made the stadium tremble, but was a late, albeit happy, reward for one in many ways remarkable performance of the miners. “We had a great atmosphere, played well and fought passionately,” said Kramer, explaining his emotional outburst: “It had to come out. The fans whipped us into this game. Incredible and unbelievable.”
It was only to be expected that the first Bundesliga home game after around 15 months would take place in front of an impressive backdrop. With 62,971 spectators, the stadium had been sold out for weeks. After the unfortunate opening match in Cologne last week, which the Gelsenkirchen team lost 3-1 after a number of disproportionate interventions by the video assistant, the team noticed that they wanted to show their fans how they had put away the blows to the neck.
Coach Kramer had changed his starting eleven to three positions compared to the season opener. Once because he had to – Dominick Drexler is suspended for two games after his red card – twice because he wanted to. So it happened that the blue and white fans were able to celebrate a reunion with the promotion heroes Malick Thiaw, Marius Bülter and Simon Terodde, with the latter replacing the new signing Sebastian Polter, who had a rocky start to the season, in the center of the attack.
This constellation had often borne fruit in the final phase of the promotion season, and this time too it looked for a long time as if Kramer’s obvious object lesson would lead to success. Schalke’s attackers finished in the best zones for a long time, had chances and got a lot more out of the game. The team had a classic target player in Terodde, and they were looking for him from both sides. At times it was a decal of last season’s recipe for success.
Rodrigo Zalazar’s lead, who scored from almost 25 meters out, was deserved despite Gladbach’s dominance in terms of ball possession, as was the score at half-time. “We played well in the first 45 minutes, got a lot of pinpricks, had shots and were more compelling in front of goal,” said Kramer.
Goalscorer Zalazar was one of the most notable players until he was substituted in the 65th minute. One day after his 23rd birthday, the Uruguayan dared to dribble a lot and shot at the Gladbach goal several times. He worked for Schalke on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt for a year, and in the summer the blue and whites took the contractually agreed purchase option. Like him, Schalke also showed all the virtues it takes to survive in the league on Saturday evening. The team did what they can and what the people in the Ruhr area love so much: they worked and robbed their opponents of the joy of the game.
But not for the full 90 minutes. Because in the last quarter of the game, the Knappen collective also revealed those vices that can quickly endanger staying in the class. Schalke’s defence, which had previously acted in a clear and structured manner, was suddenly quite crooked on the pitch. The guests from Gladbach used this extremely efficiently and needed just six minutes to turn the game around through goals from Jonas Hofmann (72′) and Marcus Thuram (78′).
And because the second goal was favored by S04 keeper Alexander Schwolow, who dropped a safe ball like a week ago in Cologne, the goalkeeper discussion was opened afterwards. “I would see that as a misunderstanding with the people in front,” said Kramer, defending his goalkeeper. “But of course, that looked very unfortunate.”
Last but not least, the guests in the form of Patrick Hermann ensured that Kramer’s mood was consistently positive. “I don’t think Schalke would have scored any more today,” said Gladbach coach Daniel Farke at the final press conference.
It was the first point on the long journey of the blue and white returnees, at the end of which there should be another year of Bundesliga membership. Not more. However, the north stand of the stadium trembled after the end of the game, as if the team had just won the championship, and thus provided the very best arguments for the Gelsenkirchen location. The players enjoyed the jubilation and let themselves be celebrated for minutes for a committed performance. “There will be setbacks this season,” said Kramer. “But we always have to get up. It’s our damn duty to put our hearts on the pitch.”
The questions to the sporting director about the game were unavoidable as to whether he would like to give the team a tuning before the transfer window closes in a good two weeks, in order to bring even more horsepower onto the road. As always, there wasn’t much to elicit from him. “It won’t be this one player who could be signed anyway,” said Rouven Schröder. “The collective has to fix it.” In this respect, the encounter on Saturday was a start …
