Shalke 3-0 Wolfsburg
Two first half gaols by Gerald Asamoah (13.) and Ebbe Sand (35.), followed by a late strike by the young German international striker Mike Hanke (85.), inflicted the damage on a Wolves side which never looked capable of recovery. Symbolic for the way things are going for the Wolvess at the moment was surely the yellow-red card shown to Hans Sarpei after 76 minutes…
Several changes
Erik Gerets lost the services of Schnoor and Petrov for the visit to Gelsenkirchen, after both players picked up fifth yellow cards during the 2-3 home defeat against Werder Bremen in round 20. Diego Klimowicz replaced Topic in the starting line-up; the suspended duo was replaced by Fischer and Menseguez respectively.
Early storm
The home side attacked the Wolves from the off and created early chances for Vermant, who curled the ball onto the crossbar after only 7 minutes, and Asamoah, who fluffed a chance as he found himself one on one with Jentzsch a minute later. The early pressure by Schalke was to be rewarded after 13 minutes as Lincoln curled in an accurate free kick onto the head of Asamoah who headed unchallenged into the top corner to give the home side a deserved lead.
Invisible Wolves
Strangely, Schalke seemed to drop down a gear after going ahead, giving Wolfsburg the chance to press forward, which they did, but to no effect. A long distance effort by Karhan on 32 minutes was the only warning shot produced by the visiting side. Schalke piled on the pressure and went further ahead ten minutes before the break as Sand finished off good work by Lincoln, heading home (again unchallenged) from close range.
Jentzsch to the rescue
Schalke carried on their barrage of pressure after the break as Lincoln tested Jentzsch with a long distance shot. On 51 minutes, Schalke got a further chance to extend their lead as Pablo Thiam pulled down Lincoln inside the penalty area. Up stepped Ailton to take the spot kick, only to be denied by the Wolves keeper Jentzsch. Five minutes later Karhan had a rare chance to pull a goal back, but the Schalke keeper Rost kept his cool to clear his lines.
Sarpei sent off
Erik Gerets brought on Andres D’Alessandro after 61 minutes, but the Argentinean midfielder was unable to make an impression on the match. The sending off of Hans Sarpei on 75 minutes for a sill handball offence, only added insult to injury for the Wolves. The killer blow for the Wolves came five minutes from the end as Hanke rounded off superb approach work by Altintop and Kobiashvili.
SCHALKE: F. Rost - Oude Kamphuis, Waldoch, Rodriguez, Pander - Vermant, Kobiashvili - Lincoln - Asamoah, Sand, Ailton
WOLFSBURG: Jentzsch - Sarpei, Franz, Quiroga, Weiser - Thiam - Karhan, Fischer - Menseguez - Brdaric, Klimowicz
GOALS: 1-0, Asamoah (13.); 2-0, Sand (35.); 3-0, Hanke (85.)
BUNDESLIGA
Pos. Team Pld Pts
1. Bayern 20 41
2. Schalke 21 41
3. Bremen 21 37
4. Hertha 21 36
5. Stuttgart 21 35
...
10. Wolfsburg 21 30
Source: vfl-wolfsburg.de
