The big match winners on the side of FC Schalke 04 were by no means only found in the offensive area on Sunday afternoon. In addition to the scorers Christopher Antwi-Adjei and Hasan Kurucay, the defense series of the Gelsenkirchener also stood out in the 2-1 win in Bielefeld, which convinced with great fighting spirit and commitment.
It was particularly striking on Sunday afternoon how many Bielefeld conclusions from FC Schalke 04 could still be blocked. The defensive players are waiting into everything – whether inside or outside the penalty area.
The extremely spectacular rescue act of right -back Adrian Gantenbein was symbolic of this. After a 30-meter full sprint in the direction of his own goal, the Swiss artistically cleared a goal shot from the Arminen with the back of the head just before his own goal line, was then celebrated directly by his teammates around goalkeeper Loris Karius.
“It feels like I had scored a goal,” Gantenbein was quoted in the “Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” about his mega rescue at 2-0 for Schalke.
The 24-year-old also stated: “It is fun to take a look at the scene on TV, especially how I am still in the goal.”
Gantenbein: “The system works”
Gantenbein also received a special praise for his spectacular header rescue from S04 head coach Miron Muslic, who said on the PK after the game about the rescue act: “We have a principle: ‘Defend Until the End’, as long as the ball is not yet in goal. This scene is representative of it,” said the Austrian.
Not least because of the strikingly high will, the royal blue managed to make a real fortress from the very susceptible defensive series. With five goals conceded in eight games, FC Schalke is now facing the best defense series in the 2nd Bundesliga.
“You notice that the system works from the trainer. If you concede so few goals, you drive in the points and then it is all the more fun,” said full -back Gantenbein.