With a half-time approach: Schalke dismantled bottom team Osnabrück

In the basement duel of the 2nd Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 achieved a 4-0 (1-0) mandatory win against bottom team VfL Osnabrück. Things looked bad at times in the first half, but it was only after a long run that the “Royal Blues” freed themselves.

A football festival was not to be expected given the starting situation: the bottom team in the table played against the team that had previously been third from bottom – and the professionals strictly stuck to the script. There was hardly any warming action in the entire first round; at times the game was close to the poverty line.

In keeping with the general chaos, Schalke’s opening goal came in the 20th minute: After a corner from Paul Seguin, Marcin Kaminski missed a good header chance, but with his indisposition he irritated Osnabrück’s defender Niklas Wiemann, from whose head the ball bounced into his own goal – Keeper Lennart Grill also joined the chain of breakdowns in this scene by hesitantly running out.

Significant improvement in the second round

In stoppage time in the first half, Simon Terodde missed a great chance to make it 2-0 after a cross from Murkin, but it didn’t take long for the preliminary decision to be made after the restart. Newly promoted Osnabrück continued to act like a third division team – offensively and defensively.

A strong Schalke counterattack once again caught VfL defender Wiemann on the wrong foot, Seguin finished from a half-right position and hit the goal with precision into the left corner (48th minute).

The ball is finally running at Schalke

The 2-0 had an impact on both sides. Even after that, it wasn’t exactly a fireworks display of good football spirit, but at least Schalke’s ball was running smoothly through more than two stations. Osnabrück had a few offensive approaches through former Bayern professional Mickael Cuisance alone, but the Osnabrück team were just as far away from the connecting goal as they were from a non-relegation zone.

Instead, the hosts made everything clear: Unlucky Wiedmann was once again involved in the 3-0 win; referee Tom Bauer initially overlooked his kick against Terodde, but after a short video study he awarded a penalty and Terodde converted himself (63′).

Osnabrück’s Kleinhansl with the next own goal

In keeping with this wasted evening for Osnabrück, the 0:4 also came with an own goal: Florian Kleinhansl put the ball into his own net after Schalke striker Kenan Karaman had irritated him a little (70th). The best news for Osnabrück was that things didn’t get any worse afterwards, but Tobias Mohr missed a great chance to make it 5-0 in the 80th minute.

Osnabrück welcomes St. Pauli, Schalke in Rostock

VfL Osnabrück will be challenged at home against FC St. Pauli next matchday (Saturday, December 9th, 2023 at 8:30 p.m.). Schalke 04 will face Hansa Rostock away a day later (1:30 p.m.).