The game between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Schalke 04 is not a duel for gourmets. But one for friends of the racy battle of attrition. The royal blue guests run desperately, but they lack assertiveness. You miss a big point in the relegation battle.
Next zero number, next glimmer of hope: Bundesliga bottom Schalke 04 sent another, albeit small, sign of life in the relegation battle with a well-deserved 0-0 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The horror series of now 37 first division away games without a win did not end again. A week after the goalless draw against 1. FC Köln, the royal blues were particularly convincing in their fighting spirit, and the return of veteran Ralf Fährmann in goal paid off again. Nevertheless, the gap to the saving place 15 is already eight points. The mysteriously jittery Borussia disappointed for long stretches and once again missed the chance to land two wins in a row for the first time this season.
“It’s about the club, it was a good game from us today, but we didn’t reward ourselves, we just have to score,” said Fährmann on Sky. “You can see that every game we play is very, very intense. (…) Of course we just have to score the goals,” said Fährmann. It’s no use “if we pick up the congratulations” for fight and action. “Many games in the first half of the season were not Bundesliga worthy,” said Fährmann, “it’s important that you see a development.” There is a lot of hope, but also a lot of despair.
Schalke should “work on” Gladbach and “not let it come into play”, S04 coach Thomas Reis had demanded before the game. His team initially appeared correspondingly poisonous. Schalke gave Gladbach the ball, but was on the defensive with the beefy newcomer Eder Balanta, who made his debut for the miners on the six, but safely. The result was a hard-fought but extremely tough game. The enthusiastic 54,042 spectators in the sold-out Borussia Park warmed up to small highlights – such as the accidental overhead kick by Schalke’s Soichiro Kozuki (18th) or a solo by Gladbach’s Ko Itakura (27th) over half the pitch. The Japanese’s unfortunate conclusion against his former club was significant.
Only Gladbach’s Manu Kone provided creative elements. Shortly before the break things got wild when Borussia had a triple chance: first Moritz Jens saved at the last second against striker Marcus Thuram (43rd), then the ferryman, who had returned to the goal for Alexander Schwolow, made a brilliant save against Itakura. Maya Yoshida headed Christoph Kramer’s follow-up shot to a corner (44′).
After the change of sides, Schalke suddenly got the upper hand. After a corner, a header from Tom Krauss just missed the goal (49′), a little later Simon Terodde, who had been pale until then, failed to find goalkeeper Jonas Omlin (52′). The Swiss later risked a lot and tackled the ball twice before a Schalke player could have put the ball dangerously on goal from far outside the penalty area. As a result, things got more and more hectic on the pitch, with both teams sniffing the win that Gladbach captain Lars Stindl was on the verge of (73′). In injury time, Schalke’s newcomer Tim Skarke failed again with a powerful shot at Omlin.
