Union Berlin don’t give gifts, Schalke’s coach Frank Kramer had warned – and was only telling half the truth. The real specialty of the Unioner consists in accepting the gifts that the opponent offers, and Schalke made so many of them available on Saturday afternoon that the game did not have a competitive character for much longer than half a time.
After Sheraldo Becker’s goal to make it 4-1 right after the break – “15 seconds after the restart”, as Schalke coach Frank Kramer reported – the home side had surrendered to their fate. The rest of the service time was handled by both sides in an energy-saving manner. Two late Berlin counterattacks, which substitute Sven Michel completed to make it 1:5 and 1:6 (87th, 90th), turned the defeat into a real debacle.
Nevertheless, the Schalke fans welcomed their team with applause and defiant chants after the final whistle, and the players gratefully accepted the consolation. “That’s just Schalke,” praised defender Malick Thiaw, who, having been promoted and promoted and a graduate of the local youth academy, is familiar with all aspects of life at the club. However, he also knows that when the credit runs out, the passion can turn into the opposite.
“The next two games will be very, very important,” Thiaw believes. After the trip to VfB Stuttgart, the home game against VfL Bochum follows. Will Thiaw still be there at all? A sale of the talented U-21 international is still not out of the question. At a reasonable price – we are talking about ten million euros – Schalke would probably accept the applicant in order to be active again on the transfer market.
In the Schalke game there is a lack of speed and creativity, now errors have been added
The promoted team was able to keep up in the first three games, and the deficits in the fundamentally rebuilt squad were revealed against the clever, well-organized Unioner. The Schalke game lacks speed and creativity. On Saturday there were individual mistakes, chronic inferiority in duels and a desolate team structure in the decisive scenes. “Today we experienced the physicality and assertiveness that the Bundesliga needs to show,” said coach Kramer. His team must “fight back better”.
Also scored twice shortly before the end: Union’s Sven Michel.
(Photo: Ina Fassbender/AFP)
As expected, Berlin’s coach Urs Fischer did not allow himself to be carried away by euphoric gestures from the overwhelming victory and the provisional top position in the table. He was satisfied, but above all he was calm in himself. The result was “too high”, said Fischer. His eleven benefited from the course of the game: “Our 3-1 lead at the break was rather lucky. Schalke were more aggressive and agile, we were sometimes sleepy – but also very efficient.”
Three goals from five attempts, the Berliners went into the break with this very acceptable result, while Schalke wondered where the reward for their effort and acceptable performance had gone. A header from Morten Thorsby put Union ahead after six minutes. Schalke reacted resolutely with forced offensive play, but the Union defender Robin Knoche had to help with a handball for the only goal – so at least they made a gift. Instead of Simon Terodde, who failed twice last week, Marius Bülter took the penalty and used the opportunity to make it 1-1 (31st).
But the Berliners were right back: Becker restored the lead six minutes later, Thiaw’s leg deflected the ball quite unluckily. Yannick Haberer made it 1:3 seconds before the first final whistle, goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow didn’t make an advantageous figure. Becker then struck the final blow after the break, and again the disorganized Schalke defensive network had opened up the space for him. Conclusion Kramer: “Very painful defeat – due to the amount and the way it came about.” He changed half the team again, “but the energy was drained”, there was no more gasping. This will also be a concern for the climber.
