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A game with a more painful outcome for Schalke
Photo: LARS BARON / POOL / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
The evening game in the Bundesliga provided two insights that couldn't be more different: Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten after ten game days after their 3-0 (1-0) win at Schalke 04 and are second for the first time this season.
The Schalke team, still bottom of the table, also played more than 900 minutes this season, but they did not succeed.
Across the seasons there are even 26 winless games.
It was Schalke's full-back Malick Thiaw who had put Leverkusen in the lead with an own goal (10th minute), Julian Baumgartlinger increased his head (67th), before Patrik Schick scored the final score (78th).
Schalke's coach Manuel Baum presented a weakened Schalke team, which was already evident from the occupation of the goalkeeper position.
Because both Frederik Rönnow and Ralf Fährmann were injured, the 35-year-old Michael Langer was in goal.
The Austrian had played his only game in the Bundesliga in 2007 for VfB Stuttgart.
The lack of staff and the uncertainty from the previous games were noticeable in the home team.
They also hardly knew an answer to the good room layout and the precise direct game of Leverkusen.
Leon Bailey's first degree landed on the side netting, a short time later Thiaw and Aleksandar Dragovic went from a corner to the ball, which the Schalke involuntarily headed into their own goal.
Dragovic acted very physically, but the hit counted after review by the video referee.
Not so in the 32nd minute of the game, when Schalke's Mark Uth was cleared from the center line, placed on Nassim Boujellab and his deflected shot found its way into the goal.
Schalke remained behind, Uth had gotten the ball from an offside position.
Unsuccessful - also from the point
Right at the beginning of the second half, Nadiem Amiri slipped a free kick towards the left corner of the goal, but Langer fought off.
The substitute goalkeeper was Schalke's best man.
After an hour he parried a long-range shot from Baumgartlinger.
Seconds later he was powerless because Baumgartlinger turned the next corner with his head into the far right corner.
Schalke hoped again because Daley Sinkgraven had fouled Suat Serdar in the penalty area.
Steven Skrzybski shot the penalty down to the left, where Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky jumped - and held.
He also deflected the subsequent header from Benito Raman.
From Schalke there was hardly anything offensively, the guests had control of the game and were much more dominant.
Schick made the decision with a precise hit in the right corner after a pass from Amiri.
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