Second success of the season thanks to Serdar: A birthday child makes S04 the winner



Update
Second success of the season thanks to Serdar

A birthday child makes S04 a winner

Only for the second time this season: FC Schalke 04 wins a game in the Bundesliga. The team of coach Grammozis really hangs in against FC Augsburg and actually brings the early lead to the goal. But that still doesn’t make hope.

Shortly after his first win as a Schalke coach, Dimitrios Grammozis suddenly had club legend Gerald Asamoah piggyback. Heavily relieved, the tattered bottom of the Bundesliga cheered the late sign of life in the relegation battle through the 1-0 (1-0) against FC Augsburg. Birthday boy Suad Serdar saved the royal blue with his goal in the 4th minute a little bit of hope for a miracle rescue. Six game days before the end of the game, the deficit on the relegation place is 13 points. “We always have to believe in ourselves and go step by step,” said old star Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Schalke 04 – FC Augsburg 1: 0 (1: 0)

Schalke: Ferryman – Becker, Stambouli, Thiaw – Aydin, Oczipka (74th Kolasinac) – Serdar, Mascarell, Bozdogan (78th Mustafi) – Harit (84th Paciencia) – Huntelaar (84th Hoppe). – Trainer: Grammozis

Augsburg: Gikiewicz – Framberger, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Gumny (71st Pedersen) – Rani Khedira (46th Strobl), Gruezo – Caligiuri (71st Niederlechner), Richter, Vargas (79th Gregoritsch) – Hahn (79th Benes). – Trainer: Great

Referee: Harm Osmers (Hanover)

Goal: 1-0 Serdar (4th)

The Augsburgers shuffled off the pitch quite disappointed after they had missed a preliminary decision in the race for relegation. The FCA is six points ahead of 16th place. Goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz was particularly bad. “After my mistake, our plan is broken. I’m sorry, I’ll take this defeat on my head,” said the 33-year-old Pole.

The early mistake of the otherwise so sure goalkeeper provided the Schalke with a welcome ray of hope after the many low blows in recent months. The only second win of the season through the goal of Serdar, who turned 24 on Sunday and scored 2-2 in the first leg, also prevented another negative mark: In five consecutive home games, the Gelsenkirchen team were without a goal of their own. SC Freiburg (2009/10 season) and VfB Stuttgart (2014/15) keep the league record with six goalless home games.

The captain was only on the bench for a long time

The first surprise came before the kick-off, because Schalke’s coach Grammozis had carried out a staff rotation: The slightly ailing captain Sead Kolasinac sat on the bench until the 74th minute. Since his return from Arsenal on loan in the winter, Kolasinac has always been in the starting line-up, apart from an injury break. Keeper Frederik Rönnow was also left out for the first time under Grammozis on Sunday, because Ralf Fährmann returned to the starting line-up six weeks after his broken rib.

But Can Bozdogan, who is also new to the starting XI, set the first accent. Gikiewicz could not hold his cross from the left and Serdar made the district club’s 2600th Bundesliga club from close range after just a few minutes. At the same time the fastest Schalke opening goal in the league since 2017.

The opponent’s lightning start had an effect on the guests from Augsburg. The team of coach Heiko Herrlich needed a long start-up time to get into the game. Except for a shot by Marco Richter (24th) and a long-range shot by Vargas (31st), there wasn’t much out of it. For Schalke Serdar (36th) missed the possible second goal, he pushed the ball past the goal from around 15 meters.

Miracle is unlikely

After the break, Augsburg increased the pressure, had more access to the game and pushed for an equalizer. But they found it difficult to find a gap against the stable Schalke back team. Vargas (56th) failed to Fährmann, Richter shot the ball over the crossbar only one minute and ten minutes later with an overhead kick past the post. Schalke, however, who still had a good chance after a free kick through Huntelaar (80th), saved the second win of the season over time.

Released from the negative series, Grammozis, team coordinator Asamoah and assistant coach Mike Büskens hugged each other. Nevertheless, only one great football miracle can prevent the Revierklub from being second class in the next season.

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