Die Königsblauen answered Fred Rutten's call to arms with a definitive 3-0 defeat of Karlsruher SC. The victory ends a twelve year winless streak at Wildparkstadion keeps Schalke four points behind Bayer Leverkusen (who coincidently maintained the Werder Bremen "new blogger curse").
Schalke came out looking like a completely different squad from the weekend and were motivated to impress from the start. Kevin Kurányi and Halil Altintop nearly scored within the first few minutes minute with KSC 'keeper Markus Miller doing everything he could to keep the net free of goals. However die Königsblauen broke through with Levan Kobiashvili's cross re-directed by Kevin Kurányi to Marcelo Bordon and into the goal fifteen minutes after the start. Four minutes later Kevin Kurányi re-directed Mladen Krstajić's perfect cross to make in 2-0. KSC didn't lay down and started to affirm better defending although they were not able to launch a significant attack. The match took at turn for the worse after the break when a altercation with Maik Franz got him an early shower and KSC was playing a man-down. With twenty-two minutes remaining Kevin Kurányi's to Jefferson Farfán was headed home for the third and final goal.
With the short week of preparation Schalke faces Energie Cottbus on Saturday.
