October 31, 2009
2-2 draw against Schalke 04
Bayer stay top
After an impressive first half and a 2-0 lead through Toni Kroos and Stefan Kießling, Bayer 04 had to settle for 2-2 draw away to Schalke 04 on matchday 11 but remain unbeaten and top of the league.
A capacity 61,673 crowd at the Veltins Arena saw a game of two halves in the big match at the top of the Bundesliga. Bayer 04 looked to be on course to extend their lead at the top of the table at half time as their rivals were slipping up.
After a quiet start to the match the Werkself soon set the pace. Sami Hyypiä was again dominant at the back and Bayer built on this foundation as they pressed forward. Stefan Kießling was a real handful in the first period and was constantly fouled as he threatened the Royal Blues goal.
Kroos rocket gives Bayer the lead
With the Germany coach Joachim Löw looking on, Stefan Kießling fought to win every ball, hold onto and lay it off to his team mates, and the Werkself front man proved to be a constant threat to the Schalke defence. Bayer started with the same eleven as last week except for Stefan Reinartz in the holding midfield role but failed to make much headway early on. But Leverkusen were clearly the more adventurous side and this soon made itself felt.
With 29 minutes on the clock, Bayer struck the first blow. One of the many dangerous set pieces saw Toni Kroos get on the end of a half-cleared corner and the midfielder smashed a volley into the top right corner of the net from 20 yards out. “The ball flew just inside the post. I couldn’t do anything about it,” admitted Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer after the game.
Kießling class act
Bayer maintained the tempo, kept their shape and stuck to their task up to the break. After Eren Derdiyok hit the woodwork following a smart through ball from Kießling, Bayer’s leading scorer had a chance himself just after that. A Tranquillo Barnetta free kick from the right found Kießling and he headed the ball into the top right corner from ten yards out to make it 2-0 on 44 minutes.
Stefan had a chance to net his eighth goal of the current campaign but Neuer made an excellent reflex save. The hosts went into the break thinking it could have been worse. Germany coach Löw was also impressed by the Bayer performance.
Castro and Hyypiä go off injured
Bayer 04 started the second half by looking to control the game and that worked at first as the defence was solid and Schalke had little to offer up front except long balls and ineffectual passes. But the two things happened that played into the hosts’ hands.
Gonzalo Castro went off injured to be replaced by Hans Sarpei just after the hour mark and Hyppiä’s game also came to a premature end on 74 minutes. Schalke sensed they had a chance and pressed forward in the direction of the Bayer box. “We didn’t play well on the break at this point in the game and we sat back too much,” admitted Kroos after the game.
Schalke show determination
The Royal Blues still posed little threat but their sheer determination was soon rewarded. Kevin Kuranyi was on hand to stab the ball home from a ruck in the six yard box to put Schalke back in touch with seven minutes left. And then Vicente Sanchez got onto the end of a header to put the hosts level five minutes later. “After our first-half display it’s difficult to fathom how we gave away a two goal lead,” said the largely untroubled Bayer keeper Rene Adler.
There was a bitter sweet feeling at the end of game but the positive aspects prevail. Bayer 04 are the only unbeaten side after eleven games and remain top of the Bundesliga one point ahead of Werder Bremen.
Match stats:
FC Schalke 04: Neuer - Höwedes, Zambrano, Bordon, Westermann, Moritz ( Rakitic 67), Rafinha, Schmitz, Holtby ( Sanchez 41), Farfan, Kuranyi
Bayer 04: Adler - Schwaab, M. Friedrich, Hyypiä ( Sinkiewicz 74), Castro ( Sarpei 61), Vidal, Reinartz, Barnetta ( Bender 89), Kroos, Kießling, Derdiyok
Goals: 0:1 Kroos (29), 0:2 Kießling (44), 1:2 Kuranyi (83), 2:2 Sanchez (88)
Booked: Farfan, Rafinha, Bordon - Schwaab, Reinartz
Referee: Michael Weiner (Giesen)
Attendance: 61,673 (capacity -Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen)
A capacity 61,673 crowd at the Veltins Arena saw a game of two halves in the big match at the top of the Bundesliga. Bayer 04 looked to be on course to extend their lead at the top of the table at half time as their rivals were slipping up.
After a quiet start to the match the Werkself soon set the pace. Sami Hyypiä was again dominant at the back and Bayer built on this foundation as they pressed forward. Stefan Kießling was a real handful in the first period and was constantly fouled as he threatened the Royal Blues goal.
Kroos rocket gives Bayer the lead
With the Germany coach Joachim Löw looking on, Stefan Kießling fought to win every ball, hold onto and lay it off to his team mates, and the Werkself front man proved to be a constant threat to the Schalke defence. Bayer started with the same eleven as last week except for Stefan Reinartz in the holding midfield role but failed to make much headway early on. But Leverkusen were clearly the more adventurous side and this soon made itself felt.
With 29 minutes on the clock, Bayer struck the first blow. One of the many dangerous set pieces saw Toni Kroos get on the end of a half-cleared corner and the midfielder smashed a volley into the top right corner of the net from 20 yards out. “The ball flew just inside the post. I couldn’t do anything about it,” admitted Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer after the game.
Kießling class act
Bayer maintained the tempo, kept their shape and stuck to their task up to the break. After Eren Derdiyok hit the woodwork following a smart through ball from Kießling, Bayer’s leading scorer had a chance himself just after that. A Tranquillo Barnetta free kick from the right found Kießling and he headed the ball into the top right corner from ten yards out to make it 2-0 on 44 minutes.
Stefan had a chance to net his eighth goal of the current campaign but Neuer made an excellent reflex save. The hosts went into the break thinking it could have been worse. Germany coach Löw was also impressed by the Bayer performance.
Castro and Hyypiä go off injured
Bayer 04 started the second half by looking to control the game and that worked at first as the defence was solid and Schalke had little to offer up front except long balls and ineffectual passes. But the two things happened that played into the hosts’ hands.
Gonzalo Castro went off injured to be replaced by Hans Sarpei just after the hour mark and Hyppiä’s game also came to a premature end on 74 minutes. Schalke sensed they had a chance and pressed forward in the direction of the Bayer box. “We didn’t play well on the break at this point in the game and we sat back too much,” admitted Kroos after the game.
Schalke show determination
The Royal Blues still posed little threat but their sheer determination was soon rewarded. Kevin Kuranyi was on hand to stab the ball home from a ruck in the six yard box to put Schalke back in touch with seven minutes left. And then Vicente Sanchez got onto the end of a header to put the hosts level five minutes later. “After our first-half display it’s difficult to fathom how we gave away a two goal lead,” said the largely untroubled Bayer keeper Rene Adler.
There was a bitter sweet feeling at the end of game but the positive aspects prevail. Bayer 04 are the only unbeaten side after eleven games and remain top of the Bundesliga one point ahead of Werder Bremen.
Match stats:
FC Schalke 04: Neuer - Höwedes, Zambrano, Bordon, Westermann, Moritz ( Rakitic 67), Rafinha, Schmitz, Holtby ( Sanchez 41), Farfan, Kuranyi
Bayer 04: Adler - Schwaab, M. Friedrich, Hyypiä ( Sinkiewicz 74), Castro ( Sarpei 61), Vidal, Reinartz, Barnetta ( Bender 89), Kroos, Kießling, Derdiyok
Goals: 0:1 Kroos (29), 0:2 Kießling (44), 1:2 Kuranyi (83), 2:2 Sanchez (88)
Booked: Farfan, Rafinha, Bordon - Schwaab, Reinartz
Referee: Michael Weiner (Giesen)
Attendance: 61,673 (capacity -Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen)