Football singularity-Chapter 668 Royal Blues
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[05/12/2020 | Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen | Bundesliga Matchweek 10]
[FC Schalke 04 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen]
Four days later, Leverkusen travelled to Gelsenkirchen to face Schalke 04—a club in crisis. Winless in their last 23 Bundesliga matches stretching back to January last season, Schalke sat rock-bottom of the table. They seemed to have planted their flag there, their relegation fears growing with each passing week.
But derbies like the Schalke and Leverkusen one were unpredictable, with the potential to shock the Royal Blues back to life. Form and feelings of how things were going went out the window. And Schalke, desperate for any positive result, would fight for their lives.
"A very different challenge for Leverkusen today," Rae began as the teams emerged. "After the intensity of Inter Milan midweek, they face a struggling Schalke side that desperately needs points."
"Schalke are in freefall, Derek," Robson replied. "But they’re at home, they have pride, and Leverkusen will be managing fatigue after that Champions League match. This won’t be easy."
---
Formation - FC Schalke 04 (4-4-2):
GK: Ralf Fährmann
RB: Bastian Oczipka
CB: Ozan Kabak
CB: Matija Nastasić
LB: Sead Kolašinac
RM: Amine Harit
CM: Omar Mascarell
CM: Suat Serdar
LM: Benito Raman
ST: Matthew Hoppe
ST: Mark Uth
--
Formation - Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1):
GK: Lukas Hradecky
RB: Mitchell Weiser
CB: Sven Bender
CB: Aleksandar Dragović
LB: Daley Sinkgraven
CDM: Charles Aránguiz
CDM: Julian Baumgartlinger
RW: Leon Bailey
CAM: Nadiem Amiri
LW: Demarai Gray
ST: Lucas Alario
---
(Fweeet!)
[1’]
Schalke started aggressively, their desperation evident from the opening whistle as they pressed high. To force a fast-paced game, they did not allow Leverkusen to build up slowly and imposed physical challenges. The Veltins-Arena, despite limited attendance from the loyals, generated noise that amplified their urgency.
From the bat, the rotated Leverkusen looked sluggish, lacking the same cohesion, with passes often going astray, and movements not synchronised. Bailey tried to inject pace down the right wing, with a solo run, but Kolašinac put an end to that with a powerful slide tackle that stopped him in his tracks. The Brazilian tried to protest, but the referee waved him off, motioning for the throw-in to be taken.
[18’]
Schalke created the first real chance in the 18th minute when Harit received the ball on the right wing. He cut inside past Sinkgraven, putting the defender on ice as he skipped past his challenge. His cross was dangerous, whipped toward the penalty spot where Uth attacked it.
The German striker’s header was powerful, but too central and easy for Hradecky to palm it over the bar. "Warning shot from Schalke!" Rae noted. "They’re not here to make up the numbers."
[27’] 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
The deadlock broke in the 27th minute, and it came from a Leverkusen counter. Aránguiz won the ball in midfield, immediately playing a vertical pass to Amiri. The German midfielder turned away from Mascarell’s challenge, driving forward into space.
Schalke’s defensive shape was compact, but Amiri spotted the movement Gray had drifted inside from the left. Spotting Sinkgraven overlapping, he threaded a clever pass into Sinkgraven’s run. The Dutch fullback took one touch, then whipped in a low cross toward the near post.
Alario attacked it, his movement taking him between Kabak and Nastasić. His flick was instinctive, redirecting the ball past Fährmann’s dive into the bottom corner. "LUCAS ALARIO!" Rae announced. "Leverkusen take the lead with a well-worked goal!"
Alario sprinted toward the away fans, sliding on his knees, his right hand thumping his chest. The Argentine had been looked at in a battle for the starting spot over Schick and had been injury-plagued for most of the season. Now that he was fit again, he was looking to reclaim his position, and a clinical finish justifies his selection over Schick Toda.
[FC Schalke 04 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen — Lucas Alario 27’]
[36’]
Schalke responded with increased desperation, throwing more bodies forward, their attacks becoming more direct. Long balls toward Hoppe, crosses into the box, set-pieces aimed at creating chaos. One such set-piece nearly produced an equaliser after Omar Mascarell was taken to the ground by a Baumgartlinger tackle.
Harit’s free kick was swung into the box, and Kabak at the near post attacked it, bullying Mitchell Weiser out of the way. The Turkish defender’s header was powerful and directed downward. Hradecky got a foot to it to deflect it, but the rebound fell to Serdar.
The German midfielder struck first-time from twelve yards—Dragović threw himself into the block, the ball ricocheting off his chest and out for another corner. "Aleksandar Dragović to the rescue!" Robson exclaimed. "Schalke so close to an equaliser!"
[42’]
Leverkusen nearly doubled their lead before halftime. Bailey received on the right wing, cutting inside past Kolašinac’s challenge. He played a quick one-two with Amiri, then drove into the box. His shot was curling toward the far post, but Fährmann got there, tipping it around the post with his fingertips.
(Fweeet, Fweeet!)
[HT: FC Schalke 04 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen]
~~~
[46’]
The second half began with Bosz making a change as the board went up: Florian Wirtz on for Nadiem Amiri, adding fresh legs and creativity, in the Leverkusen midfield. Wirtz was given a free role; his movement floating between positions created problems for Schalke’s midfield.
In the 51st minute, he received from Aránguiz, turned away from Mascarell’s challenge, and played a clever pass to Gray on the left. The English winger drove at Oczipka, his pace forcing the fullback to retreat. He cut inside sharply, creating a yard of space, and fired toward the near post.
He couldn’t beat Fährmann, though, as the keeper got down well, palming it wide. "Good instincts from the German; he barely got a glimpse of the ball before it was in front of him."
[58’]
In the 58th minute, Bosz made another change, bringing on Rakim Rex for Demarai Gray on the left wing. The substitution drew applause from the away fans, eager to see their star winger. His first involvement came sixty seconds later, following a Bailey switch on the right, playing a diagonal pass into Rakim’s feet.
The teenager controlled with his chest, letting it drop onto his left foot as he watched Kolašinac closing him down. The German full back stood him up, feet planted, but that proved to be a mistake in the next second. Rakim feinted a cut across before flicking the ball down the line, exploding forward with speed.
Flat-footed on the turn, Kolašinac struggle to catch up with him, only managing to do so near the edge of the box when both centerback Kabak and midfielder Serdar came to box him in. Immediately, Kolašinac was there, engaging physically from the side aggressively, trying to bully him off the ball.
Rakim didn’t engage physically. Instead, he performed a quick drag-back with his left foot, spinning around him to face Serdar. A nifty La Croqueta, and he skipped between the two defenders and sent an Ozil pass into the far side of the box.
The ball skipped over the outstretched foot of Nastasić, flying into the path of Baily, who stormed into the box with fullback Sead Kolašinac hot on his pursuit. The Brazilian stretched his foot out to meet for the first time, trying to leave it over the charging Fährmann.
Fährmann, who was sliding on his knees, jumped up with his right hand, somehow getting a hand to it, palming it away. "Ralf Fährmann is keeping Schalke in this match!" Rae exclaimed.
[67’]
Schalke made changes, throwing on attackers in a desperate attempt to salvage something. But their defensive shape became increasingly stretched, under Leverkusen’s onslaught. This left some space for Leverkusen to exploit as the home side became increasingly daring in their attacks.
In the 72nd minute, Baumgartlinger intercepted a loose pass from Serdar and immediately played it forward to Wirtz. The German youngster turned with one touch, driving forward with the second. Rakim had already started his run, diagonal from left to centre, dragging Oczipka with him. Wirtz saw it, playing a perfectly weighted through ball into the space behind Schalke’s defensive line.
Rakim’s pace took him clear, staying onside by inches as he latched onto the ball, turning goalward. Fährmann rushed out, getting low arms spread out wide, trying to limit the angle. But Rakim cold his right foot, softly lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
The ball arced beautifully, over the keeper, dropping just under the crossbar and into the net. "RAKIM REX!" Robson roared. "He makes it two-nil! Clinical finishing from the seventeen-year-old!"
Rakim sprinted toward the corner flag, performing his familiar celebration as Wirtz jumped on his back. The away fans celebrated wildly, their team cruising now.
[FC Schalke 04 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen — Rakim Rex 72’]
[80’]
The final ten minutes were comfortable as Leverkusen controlled possession, Schalke’s attacks lacking conviction. Hradecky was barely tested, dealing efficiently with a few long-range efforts. Bosz made his final change, withdrawing Alario for Patrick Schick in the 85th minute.
(Fweeet, Fweeet, Fweeeet!)
[FT: FC Schalke 04 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen]
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To Be Continued...
