Schalke with Bundesliga record: Union does not fall Bayern from the top

Schalke with Bundesliga record
Union does not overthrow Bayern from the top

In the sixth Bundesliga game of the year, 1. FC Union Berlin failed to win for the first time. FC Schalke 04 annoys the top team and continues its own streak in the fight against relegation. As a result, the Köpenickers miss taking the lead in the table from FC Bayern.

No getting through against Schalke “00”: 1. FC Union Berlin missed the great opportunity to lead the Bundesliga table and travels as a hunter instead of the hunted to the summit at Bayern Munich next weekend. Coach Urs Fischer’s team couldn’t get past the 0-0 draw against Schalke 04 at the bottom. Two series continued with the draw: Schalke have now been without an away win for 38 games, Union have been undefeated at home in the league for more than a year and now 16 games.

For Union it was the second zero in a row three days after the draw at Ajax Amsterdam. Schalke played goalless for the fourth time in a row and set a Bundesliga record. In the fight to stay up in the league, however, the hoped-for liberation did not succeed again due to a lack of penetrating power on the offensive.

Schalke shouldn’t be comforted by the statistics from better times either: the last four Bundesliga games in a row without defeat were more than three years ago – before the big crash that led to relegation a year and a half later. Four games in a row without conceding a goal in 2018: Back then, Schalke finished runners-up.

Before the game, Union had announced that they would be taking part in the international competition again as a new goal for the season. Doing that on matchday 21 was “surreal,” said coach Fischer. The Berlin start-up difficulties against the royal blue were very real.

Fischer had changed to five positions in view of the triple burden from the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Europa League. A Union secret of success is the incredible consistency in the broad squad. They don’t even want to try changing tactics in Berlin-Köpenick. No matter who the opponent is.

Little going on in front of a full house

And so the spectators in the stadium at the Alte Försterei saw exactly the same football as always. Wait, check. Not necessarily beautiful, but so solid that the competition has long since gotten used to the iron at the top of the tableau.

Although the Berliners convinced with great commitment and good duel leadership, they found it very difficult against the well-organized guests. Passes rarely found their target in the last third, and Schalke also safely defended long balls to the offensive duo Kevin Behrens and Sven Michel. All in all, Union was too harmless.

Both teams neutralized each other in an uneventful duel. The 22,012 fans in the sold-out An der Alten Försterei stadium had to wait a long time for Danilho Doekhi’s first big chance (23′). S04 goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann made a strong save. The game remained competitive until the break and without further highlights.

After the change of sides, little changed at first. Union couldn’t get through, and Schalke’s offensive problems were also obvious. Fischer tried to create more danger by substituting top scorer Sheraldo Becker. Instead, the guests became bolder and repeatedly pushed into the Berlin penalty area. This time, however, no one succeeded in getting the lucky punch.

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