Die Königsblauen continue to win

The caretaker coaching triumvirate of Mike Büskens, Youri Mulder and Oliver Reck are making a good case for their handiwork as die Königsblauen won for their second successive week, defeating Karlsruhe 2-0. While it might be early to schedule the parade helps along Schalke European hopes.

The victory will not be called "emphatic" or anything similar but it was an all-important win in a season of stumbles. With regulars Marcelo Bordon, Benedikt Höwedes and Rafinha out of the lineup, the coaching trio presumably made a democratic decision with Ivan Rakitić entering in a central defending role, along with nineteen year-old Danny Latza in the starting eleven. After KSC 'keeper Markus Miller made a quality save, Schalke took the lead at the mid-point of the half as Jermaine Jones deep cross into the box was headed-in by a diving Kevin Kurányi. Kurányi nearly duplicated the goal with Jefferson Farfán's cross but this time his header went just wide. Sebastian Langkamp came close to squaring the match soon after before Manuel Neuer's last gasp dive pushed the ball wide. After the break the Gelsenkirchen supporters weren't too pleased as KSC owned most of the serious attacking chances and could have leveled the match on a few occasions. However with ten minutes left a Ivan Rakitić pass was pulled in Jefferson Farfán who from a tight angle sent a curling ball over KSC 'keeper Miller and into the net to bring the match a 2-0 final.