Schalke 04 wins the first home game of the calendar year. A lightning start and the Schalke strike duo made the difference against 1. FC Nürnberg.
It’s always very special games when… FC Schalke 04 and the 1. FC Nuremberg meet, both fan groups have been friends for decades.
On Saturday lunchtime there was a particularly crackling atmosphere in the arena; the Royal Blues used the atmosphere to win 3-1 (3-1) at home thanks to an outstanding first half. We could once again rely on the goal scorers Moussa Sylla and Kenan Karaman.
The preliminary program was already something special: Schalke honored top scorer legend Klaus Fischer, who celebrated his 75th birthday on December 27th, on the pitch. CEO Matthias Tillmann then announced that the cooperative had collected around 3.5 million euros in the first three days. A minute’s silence for deceased S04 and FCN fans, initiated by the Ultras Gelsenkirchen, was followed by an emotional run-in.
After a year-long break, at the request of numerous fans, Status Quo accompanied the 22 players onto the pitch with “Whatever you want”.
The very positive atmosphere was transferred to the pitch. Schalke started with football fireworks and showed their most dominant and best home game in the first 15 minutes. The fact that they immediately took a 2-0 lead was logical and well deserved. In the seventh minute, Kenan Karaman extended a free kick cross from Tobias Mohr into the net to make it 1-0, Moussa Sylla followed up with an assist from Anton Donkor to make it 2-0 (15th).
Even after the 15th minute, Schalke continued to play well, but Nuremberg, who were initially overwhelmed, also started to play along. And they took advantage of their first chance. Two minutes after Schalke’s second goal, Ron Schallenberg actually cleared a Nuremberg pass in the penalty area, which is why all S04 players switched off. Nuremberg’s Jens Castrop artistically carried the ball back into the six-yard box with an overhead kick, where Stefanos Tzimas was free and reduced the score to 1:2.
Schalke: Heekeren – Bulut, Schallenberg, Kamiński, Donkor – Grüger (67th Kalas), Seguin – Aydin (88th Gantenbein), Karaman, Mohr (72nd Hamache) – Sylla. – Coach: Van Wonderen.
Nuremberg: Reichert – Jeltsch, Knoche, Karafiát – Rose – Villadsen (82nd Hofmann), Flick (46th Lubach), Soares (60th Yilmaz) – Jander, Justvan, Castrop (73rd Joachims) – Tzimas (82nd Schmelzer). – Coach: Klose.
-Tore: 1:0 Karaman (7th), 2:0 Sylla (15th), 2:1 Tzimas (17th) 3:1 Sylla (45th).
Referee: Max Burda (Berlin).
Viewers: 60.000.
Schalke now pushed for the third goal: Paul Seguin hit the inside post with a powerful long-range shot (22nd), Kenan Karaman (34th, shot on man) and Tobias Mohr (36th, shot past the right) missed further opportunities. The S04 fans in the stadium had to hold their breath every time the ball flew over their own halfway line. Schalke’s forward defense was very risky. The equalizer could have been equalized twice in the 42nd minute. S04 goalkeeper Justin Heekeren directed a flick from Julian Justvan towards the corner with his fingertips. Justvan took this corner himself, Finn Jeltsch rose highest and headed just over – luck for S04.
When the fourth official was about to call stoppage time in the first half, Schalke made it 3-1 at a very opportune moment. Tobias Mohr received the ball on the left side, hit a precise cross into the middle, where Sylla was again perfectly positioned and headed his 13th goal of the season. It was an open exchange of blows, with all 62,278 fans sending the teams into the locker room with thunderous applause.
After the break, Schalke took things a lot easier, slowing down the high tempo of the game and mostly leaving the ball to Nuremberg. At times they retreated a little too far or lost the ball too casually, which made the guests stronger and more self-confident. In contrast to Schalke, Nuremberg also managed to score shots in the opponent’s penalty area. Jens Castrop (54th/58th) and substitute Berkay Yilmaz (72nd) shot the ball past the goal. Former world-class goalscorer Miroslav Klose, now FCN coach, was tearing his hair out on the sidelines. He couldn’t blame his team; they braced themselves against bankruptcy. But she was just far too safe.
Meanwhile, the Schalke fans comfortably sang the victory home, for example the “FC Schalke Waltz”, their team stuck to occasional highlights after the break, but no longer had a chance – with one exception: FCN goalkeeper Jan Reichert scored In the 80th minute, the onrushing Ron Schallenberg was attacked, from whose body the ball almost bounced into the goal.
When referee Burda blew the final whistle, there was great celebration: Schalke remained undefeated for the fifth time in a row. The next opponent is 1. FC Magdeburg (8.30 p.m./Sky), again in the Veltins Arena.
