Schalke ends losing streak against 'Gladbach

Die Königsblauen earned an enormous three points as they defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 in front of our sold-out Veltins-Arena. The victory allows Schalke to maintain pace with the top of the table and five points behind Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen who are tied for second place.

Turkish international Halil Altıntop got Schalke off right, scoring in the seventeenth minute as he received a pass from Ivan Rakitić and fought off two defenders before dispatching a strong drive behind the 'Gladbach 'keeper. Only six minutes later Jefferson Farfán was dragged down in the area and with a statement of intent took the penalty himself and calmly stroked it to the back of the net. However the legendary 'Gladback wasn't going to go down without a fight and Canadian international ex-Heerenveen man Rob Friend cut the deficit in half with a fine goal at the half hour mark. With only a one goal lead things were definitely a bit on edge and Fred Rutten. However just before the break in an uncharacteristic defensive break-down by Hans Meyer's 'Gladback, Orlando Engelaar sent a long ball that Halil Altıntop collected and circumvented the 'keeper and scored.

Fred Rutten said of the match:
"We didn't play as well as we did against Bayern, but we took the chances we created from open play and secured three points. I'm happy with that."

Schalke 04:
Neuer - Westermann, Höwedes, Bordon (Krstajic 79'), Pander – Engelaar (Ernst 69'), Jones - Rakitic - Farfan, Kuranyi (Asamoah 74'), Altintop

Borussia Mönchengladbach:
Gospodarek - Levels (Dorda 46'), Daems, Gohouri, Van den Bergh (Matmour 46') - Paauwe - Alberman (Colautti 70'), Bradley - Baumjohann, Marin – Friend
Goals: 1-0 Altintop (17'), 2-0 Farfan (pen. 23'), 2-1 Friend (30'), 3-1 Altintop (45')