The 1. FC Kaiserslautern can continue to hope for the climb. The red devils around the new coach Torsten Lieberknecht prevailed against FC Schalke 04 in the 2nd Bundesliga.
Three defeats in a row had left the people responsible for the 1st FC Kaiserslautern doubts about the chances of promotion, so they had signed a new coach four game days before the end of the season with Torsten Lieberknecht. And the hope of a positive trainer effect should come true.
The red devils defeated FC Schalke 04 in front of 49,000 spectators on the sold -out Betzenberg, but a total of 2: 1 (1: 0) and are therefore only one point from relegation place three before the end of the season. Daisuke Yokota and Ragnar Ache scored the goals for the Palatinate, for whom S04 scored Moussa Sylla.
Schalke’s van Wonderen sees no big difference
Lieberknecht was then pleased with the sports show microphone: “It was crucial that people were there for the team. Overall, it was a deserved victory, we saw things. But there were also phases that we can also be braver in the opening of the player.”
His colleague Kees van Wonderen analyzed: “The difference was not that big. With 1: 1, the game could have tipped on our side, but overall we didn’t defend well enough.”
Lautern initially with great pressure against S04
In the first few minutes, the hosts sparked permanent pressure. The Schalke initially had great trouble preventing a goal. The Lieberknecht team wanted to surprise the S04, which was not successful.
It took around ten minutes for a more balanced game to develop without one of the teams being able to get dangerously in front of the other goal. The game splashed to themselves because both teams lacked the playful skills to skillfully play through.
Lautern’s Ache with good chances
After 25 minutes, Lautern attacker Ragnar Ache tried with a harmless long-range shot. Otherwise, both teams worked together, with the Palatinate remaining the more active team.
After a good 30 minutes and a long ball in the Schalke half, Ache tried again with a lifter against the S04 goalkeeper Justin Heekeren, which was too far out of his goal, but the ball narrowly missed the goal.
Sportschau 2nd Bundesliga Highlights, April 27th, 2025 3:36 p.m.
Yokota hits the loud guidance
The third chance used the Lauterer just a few minutes later. Heekeren was still able to parry a massive header from Ache to the flank of Kenny Redondo, but Daisuke Yokota was in the right place and turned into the empty Schalke gate to 1-0 (35th) from a very shortest distance. Shortly before the break, Ache had another goal on his foot after a counterattack, but Heekeren was able to parry the attacker’s lifter.
Moussa Sylla had the first Schalke possibility just before the break, but his shot stroked just above the Lauterer crossbar.
Opportunities for opportunities
Just ten seconds after the restart, Daniel Hanslik appeared in front of Heekeren after Ache’s header extension, but the S04 goalkeeper parried spectacularly. The Schalke defense was still mentally in the changing room.
But the Schalke also had the great chance to score five minutes later, but Emil Höjlund spanked the ball of FCK goalkeeper Julian Krahl and also past the Lauterer goal.
Only moments later, the spectators got to see a slapstick insert. Schalke defender Marcin Kaminski wanted to head back to Heekeren just behind the center line and thus present the ball perfectly. The attacker did not take the huge chance and shot around three meters and steeply over the goal.
Sylla hits Schalke to compensate
It was then Sylla who achieved the balance for the Schalke and used another of the many defenses. In lying down, he flipped the ball to 1: 1 (61.) over the goal line after goalkeeper Krahl initially fended off the ball.
But the Schalke also left it on their carelessness on the defensive and let the hosts be surprised again. Ache ran again for the Heeker gate and turned into the lower corner from 16 meters to the 2-1 final score (77th).
Kaiserslautern in Karlsruhe, Schalke receives Paderborn
The 1. FC Kaiserslautern has to go to Karlsruher SC (04.05., 1.30 p.m.) on the 32nd matchday. FC Schalke 04 receives SC Paderborn on Friday evening (02.05., 6.30 p.m.).