This weekend saw nine Teams change place in the table, and FC Bayern München took over first place for the first time since 2008! It has been a battle for top of the table all season against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, but could this be a sign of things to come? Just below Bayern München and Bayer Leverkusen on the table, sitting a very close third place is FC Schalke 04, who again turned in an impressive performance on Friday to close the gap to within 2 points of Leverkusen, and 4 points of Munich.
FC Schalke 04 2 – 1 Borussia Dortmund
If you ever watch any Derby Match in any league, this was the one not to be missed! Derby matches always have an added intensity, and this one lived up to it’s billing. This was their 135th Derby Match
FC Schalke welcomed Borussia Dortmund to Veltins-Arena for the 135th Revier Derby to a Sold-Out Crowd that knew they were going to see an incredible match. The first half went back and forth with both sides fighting for possession, but ultimately, they wen into the half equal at 0-0.
The second half seemed to switch both teams into high gear, and Borussia got on the score board first with what was a very controversial penalty kick call i the 47th Minute. Schalke’s Ivan Rikitic made a tackle that seemed to be all about the ball, but instead, he conceded a Penalty Kick to Dortmund. Nuri Sahin stook up to the mark and put it away, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. This was one certainly to be talked about amongst all the crowd’s booing.
Just three minutes later, Borussia looked as though they ay score again when Nuri Sahin passed it to Patrick Owomoyela who almost headed it into goal, only to miss just wide right. In the 53rd, Schalke seemed to be trying to get back into the game when Lukas Schmitz crossed it in to Peer Kluge who belted it in from the right side of the box, only to see it blocked by the Dortmund Keeper. It remained 1-0 to the visitors.
The next few minutes, Schalke gave an impressive offensive display, only to have a nice shot from outside the box by Rafinha blocked again in the 56th. The game began to get a strong sense of intensity, and it exploded in the 65th.
Schalke were awarded a free kick. The free kick got pushed out to Lukas Schmitz who crossed it into the center of the box and Benedikt Höwedes was able to head it in to the back of the net/ The Royal Blues had equalized it. The crowd erupted and the whole Derby Feel became tangible.
It was just a few moments after this that Borussia Dortmund Goalkeeper Roman Weldenfeller decided to take matters into his own hands. The 72nd Minute gave us the highlight of the game, that will be shown on pretty much every highlight reel around the world. Not for any spectacular shots, but for the fact that it turned the game from a football match to a Heavyweight fight.
FC Schalke were attacking in force, and a long cross into Kevin Kuranyi saw Wiedenfeller leave his line to come and clear the ball at the top of the box. Instead, Dortmund Defender Mats Hummels took a small nudge in the back, cleared the ball, and took a strong right-cross to the jaw from Weidenfeller. Instead of punching the ball away, he clocked his teammate, knocking him flat to the pitch! I’ll give it to Hummels though, as somehow he regained his composure and stayed in the game another ten minutes before finally being subbed off.
Once the game resumed, Schalke did everything they could to put it away. The 75th Minute saw another corner that was headed away, and then another shot from Kuranyi came in the center of the box in the 75th. The shot was easily blocked.
The intensity of this match was not to be equaled. In the remaining 15 minutes, both teams stepped up their game. Neither seemed to be dominating possession as both were doing what they could to score the winner. The best part of the remaining 15 minutes could arguably be when Dortmund’s Nelson Valdez found himself with a ton of open space in the 82nd, and broke away toward goal. His half the pitch run looked as though it would give the game to Borussia, but Rafinha literally came from nowhere to dispossess him and keep the game level.
On the other hand, it could be the game-winner. both were incredible plays, so that decision is up to the reader.
The 83rd Minute of the game brought us the game winner for Schalke and the heartbreak for Dortmund. In yet another play seemingly destined for the highlight reels, Ivan Rakitic hammered a shot into the back of the net from the top of the box, and gave Schalke the 2-1 lead. Just a minute later, it looked as though Dortmund would equalize it, but it as not to be, and FC Schalke walked out with all three points in a Derby Match that was certainly not to be missed.
Attendance: 61,673
Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 – 0 FC Köln
In a match that should have gone only one way, Bayer gave up the points and saw their spot at the top of the table given up to FC Bayern München. Although it sets a new league record of 24 Games unbeaten for Bayer, it did not end the way they wanted it to.
The game went back and forth, and although every statistic seemed to show Bayer dominating the game, they simply could not put the ball past the Goalkeeper.
Stefan Kiessling had a few potential shots – one in the 19th, the 43rd, the 54th, the 84th, and the 89th, but not one of them found it’s way between the crossbars. Renato Augusto also had a few missed chances.
All in all, when Stefan Kiessling is not putting it away, Bayer will have a difficult time scoring.
The player of the game for Köln had to be Goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon, as he faced twelve shots, with 4 of those being on goal. He let nothing by, and kept the Bayer offense frustrated and scoreless.
The disappointing draw for Bayer drops them into second place in the table behind currently in-form FC Bayern München. Just behind Bayer in third place is another in-form team, FC Schalke 04. The league title this year looks to be a chase to the finish between three teams, and the excitement will only build as the season goes on.
Attendance: 30,210
All of the Week 24 Scores:
FC Schalke 04 2 – 1 Dortmund
Hertha BSC 0 – 2 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
FSV Mainz 05 1 – 2 Werder Bremen
VfB Stuttgart 2 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Borussia M’gladbach 1 – 1 SC Freiburg
VfL Bochum 0 – 0 FC Nürnberg
Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 – 0 FC Köln
Hannover 96 0 – 1 VfL Wolfsburg
FC Bayern München 1 – 0 Hamburger SV
In Other News:
*Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München) and Toni Kroos (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) look set to receive their first cap for Germany’s National Squad on Wednesday against Argentina.
*New rumors are circulating that Juventus will open talks with Bayern Munich over a potential deal for French midfielder Franck Ribery.
*Alexander Hleb revealed he has a problem with Stuttgart manager Christian Gross and expects to return to Barcelona at the end of the season.
Updated Table:
1. FC Bayern München – 52 points
2. Bayer 04 Leverkusen – 50 points
3. FC Schalke 04 – 48 points
4. Hamburger SV – 40 points
5. Borussia Dortmund – 39 points
6. Werder Bremen – 38 points
7. Eintracht Frankfurt – 35 points
8. VfB Stuttgart – 34 points
9. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – 32 points
10. FSV Mainz 05 – 32 points
11. VfL Wolfsburg – 31 points
12. Borussia Monchengladbach – 30 points
13. VfL Bochum 1848 – 27 points
14. FC Köln – 26 points
15. SC Freiburg – 20 points
16. FC Nürnberg – 18 points
17. Hannover 96 – 17 points
18. Hertha BSC – 15 points
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