Unfortunate home game for Schalke 04: Despite a huge effort, there were no points on the 8th match day of the Bundesliga against the hard-nosed FC Augsburg in the 2: 3 (1: 2).
In the atmospheric setting of the Schalke Arena, the numerous blue and white fans could hardly believe their eyes: Schalke didn’t start the game with verve and attacking spirit, it was the guests who set the tone right away.
Augsburg storms – and hits
And it only lasted until the eighth minute before FCA – who had gained a lot of self-confidence with the 1-0 win against Bayern before the international break – could celebrate: André Hahn crossed from the right and the Schalke defense had himself behind Ermedin Demirovic freed. The ex-Freiburg player looked, aimed precisely and flicked the ball past S04 keeper Alexander Schwolow into the far corner – 0:1.
The Schalke, for the first time with Sebastian Polter and Simon Terodde and thus a real double lead in the starting line-up, just couldn’t get going. Symptomatic after 15 minutes was the gesture by midfielder Tom Krauss after one of the few duels he had won: waving his arms up in the direction of his colleagues: “Something has to happen now!”
Demirovic puts together the double pack
But it happened again a little later on the other side: Hahn sent Mergim Berisha down the left lane, who used his free space to play a pass into the centre. Demirovic ran with him again and completed the run directly past Schwolow to make it 0:2. It was the 24-year-old Bosnian’s fourth goal of the season.
In addition to the shortcomings in the speed of action, there were also simple structural problems that presented Schalke with huge problems. The left-back in particular, with the unfortunate Henning Matriciani, was totally overwhelmed against the speedy Augsburg attackers. Also because he received almost no support from the center.
Terodde hits and shortens to 1:2
But Schalke reacted now. fought. And yes, he had Simon Terodde in his starting XI. The lanky top scorer initiated a counterattack himself in the 33rd minute and, after Dominick Drexler’s preparatory work, converted it carefully with a flick from eleven meters to make it 1:2.
Schalke’s Marius Bülter (left) in a duel with Augsburg’s Carlos Gruezo
For many Schalke supporters it was incomprehensible why play designer Rodrigo Zalazar had not been on the field from the start. The Spaniard came on in the second half and Schalke’s style of play actually became a bit finer. However: The hosts were also more susceptible to counterattacks: Berisha almost used one of them to make it 1:3 in the 61st minute, but Schwolow was just able to parry the concealed low shot.
Krauss takes off and hits
Schalke stayed in the game and almost equalized in return: cleverly sent down by Drexler, midfield clearer Krauss took the chance from eight meters and scored to make it 2:2. In the 68th minute, the Royal Blues almost took the lead in an increasingly wild game: Terodde lobbed the ball over Rafal Gikiewicz after a long volley in the Augsburg goal – but the Schalke goal-getter was just offside.
Schalke now had victory in mind, especially since Augsburg were decimated a little later: Berisha got down to business with his elbow and saw a yellow card for it. It was his second – he had to leave the field. But the cold shower followed for the royal blues: With all the forward momentum, the defensive work was forgotten on the left: Robert Gumny thanked him and crossed right to Hahn’s head, who scored in his 250th Bundesliga game to make it 2-3 (77th). The hosts never recovered from this blow.
Schalke in Leverkusen, Augsburg at home against Wolfsburg
On the 9th matchday of the Bundesliga, the newly promoted team from Gelsenkirchen will be away to Leverkusen (Saturday, October 8th, 2022 at 3:30 p.m.). At the same time, FC Augsburg welcomes VfL Wolfsburg.