Borussia Mönchengladbach and Schalke share spirited goalless draw
Schalke kept a second successive clean sheet as they picked up a valuable point in their battle against relegation with a hard-fought draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-0 Schalke
Gladbach put on a determined effort to build on the momentum from their first away win of the season at Hoffenheim last weekend in front of their own fans. The Foals immediately went on the front foot, and while a defence led by Maya Yoshida gave their best form of resistance – it took several saves from Ralf Fährmann on his second start of the season in the Schalke goal to keep the visitors level in the first 45. Lars Stindl, Ko Itakura, Manu Kone and Marcus Thuram all had opportunities to put Daniel Farke’s Gladbach ahead.
Having withstood the first-half pressure, Schalke came out of the second half a side transformed. Simon Terrode found a big chance to give the side bottom of the table a surprise lead soon after the restart but hit straight at Jonas Omlin under pressure from Joe Scally. The visitors’ greater sense of adventure invited the hosts to explore the space they left at the back and an enthralling period of end-to-end football ensued. New Gladbach keeper Omlin reacted well again to race out and clear the ball before Michael Frey could pounce. Stindl could have grabbed a vital late goal for Gladbach but fired over from close range from Jonas Hofmann’s pull-back. Omlin then saved from Frey and Tim Skarke in Schalke's last chances before they could embark on the short trip home to Gelsenkirchen content with their battling showing and away point.
Match stats
- Thuram has gone three successive Bundesliga matches without a goal or assist for the first time this season.
- Scally won a greater share of his challenges than any other outfield starter – 76 percent.
- The Foals have lost just one of their last 11 Bundesliga meetings with Schalke now, winning seven.
- Yoshida has played in every match of the season so far for Schalke, and has missed just 11 of 1710 minutes of football.
- Fährmann saved all four shots on his goal in this game.
- Schalke went into half-time with three goalless halves of football in a row behind them – for the first time this season.
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Teams
Gladbach: Omlin - Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Weigl (Plea 60'), Kone (Neuhaus 89') - Hofmann, Kramer, Stindl (c) - Thuram (Wolf 89')
Unused subs: Olschowsky, Friedrich, Lainer, N’Goumou, Netz, Jantschke
Out: -
Coach: Daniel Farke
Schalke: Fährmann - Brunner (Ouwejan 78'), Yoshida, Jenz, Uronen (Aydin 78') - Kral, Krauß - Kozuki (Bülter 66'), Eder Balanta (Drexler 59'), Skarke - Terodde (c) (Frey 66')
Unused subs: Schwolow, Zalazar, Karaman, Matriciani
Out: Heekeren (cruciate ligament), Polter (knee), van den Berg (ankle)
Coach: Thomas Reis
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