Fourth game, fourth win: Schalke march on
Schalke have secured top spot in their Europa League group, with two games to spare. With their fourth European win in four games, Markus Weinzierl’s side have qualified for the knockout stages of the competition well ahead of time. The Royal Blues overcame FK Krasnodar 2-0 at the VELTINS-Arena, confirming their spot as group leaders and qualifying for the Europa League knockout stages for the seventh time in a row.
Junior Caicara (25’) and Nabil Bentaleb (28’) scored in quick succession of each other to help Schalke record their fourth win of the group stages. After a terrible start to the Bundesliga season, where the Royal Blues lost their opening five games, Markus Weinzierl’s team have now gone eight competitive games undefeated.
Schalke score from nothing
Schalke, who had to do without injured national team player Max Meyer, found life difficult in what was an uneventful opening period in front of 42,210 spectators at the VELTINS-Arena. The home side struggled to create any convincing chances, with the defensively minded Krasnodar side beginning to grow in confidence going forward.
Then out of nowhere, the home side struck twice. Caicara was the first to score, after stabbing home Dennis Aogo’s cross. It was his first competitive goal for Schalke. Nabil Bentaleb then added a third three minutes later, tapping home Yevhen Konoplyanka shot on goal. The game allowed Schalke to settle into a rhythm, with the home side seeing the game out to complete a 2-0 victory.
Mainz suffer crushing defeat
1. FSV Mainz 05’s hopes of making the knockout stages of the Europa League were dealt a blow, after suffering a heavy defeat away to RSC Anderlecht. Currently ninth in the Bundesliga table, Mainz lost 6-1 after a crazy last few minutes in Belgium. The result means that Martin Schmidt’s side have now surrendered what was a good position in group C. They move down to third in the group following the defeat, now facing an uphill task to make the last-16 of the competition.
Mainz sit on five points after their four European games, three points behind both Anderlecht and AS St. Etienne. Schmidt’s side will be under pressure to get a result against French side St. Etienne, when they clash for the second time in the group, in three weeks time. The first game between the two sides ended one apiece.
Nicolae Stanciu (9’, 41’) set the Belgians on their way to victory. Mainz did manage to equaliser through Pablo De Blasis (15’), who recently became a father for the first time. Youri Tielemans (62’) then gave the home side a two goal cushion, before a manic last five minutes saw Anderlecht score three goal, with Mainz committing men forward, looking to reduce the deficit. Lukasz Teodorczyk (89’, 90+4’) as well as RB Leipzig loanee Massimo Bruno (90+2’) added the three late goals, handing the home side a convincing win..