FC Bayern v FC Schalke 04 0-1
Raul strike deals death knell to cup dream
There will be no end-of-season trip to Berlin for Bayern this year after the DFB German Cup holders were knocked out at the semi-final stage by Schalke on Wednesday, a first-half Raul strike separating the sides on a night when FCB simply lacked the inspiration to unpick the disciplined visiting defence.
The 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw Spain legend Raul head Felix Magath’s side into an early lead, and it was to prove a frustrating first period for the holders, who failed to muster a single shot on target before half-time. Louis van Gaal’s men dramatically upped the tempo in the second half and laid siege to the away goal, but the ball refused to cross the Schalke line on the night, as the gods of fortune deserted Munich just when it mattered.
Schalke now travel to the famous Olympic stadium in Berlin on 21 May, where they will be favourites to claim the knockout trophy and the place in Europe that goes with it against second division Duisburg, 2-1 conquerors of Energie Cottbus the previous evening. Despite the shattering cup blow, the Bavarians have no time to draw breath, as their Bundesliga programme continues on Saturday with a crunch trip to third-placed Hannover.
Van Gaal made one change to the team beaten 3-1 at home by Dortmund last weekend, Breno coming into the back four for the out-of-sorts Holger Badstuber. Thomas Kraft took his usual place in goal, with Danijel Pranjic, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and captain Philipp Lahm completing the rearguard. Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben formed the front three, with Thomas Müller at the point of the central triangle completed by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Luiz Gustavo.
Schalke boss Magath lost striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to a training injury on the eve of the match, but the front three of Jefferson Farfan, Jose Manuel Jurado and Raul still bristled with menace, while Germany keeper and reported Bayern target Manuel Neuer has been in impressive form all season.
Once referee Florian Meyer whistled the match underway on a bitterly cold but mercifully dry evening in Munich, the sides spent the first quarter of an hour feeling each other out, FCB probing for gaps in the deep-lying and disciplined Schalke defence.
But the first incidents of note occurred at the other end, a brief burst of pressure from the Royal Blues culminating in the opening goal on 15 minutes. Raul saw a rasping effort after a corner deflected over by Gomez, but the iconic hitman made no mistake with a header after Benedikt Höwedes flicked on the ensuing corner.
Robben hit the side-netting as the holders sought an immediate response, but the visitors looked comfortable in possession and Raul and Farfan both had presentable chances to double the lead midway through the first half. Gomez would have been through on Neuer but for a wafer-thin offside call, but Munich continued to look hesitant against set plays, and Müller was forced to head off the line after Höwedes, criminally unmarked on the penalty spot, powered a free header goalwards.
Schalke comfortably protected their lead through to the interval, but Van Gaal’s men were a team transformed after the restart, and Müller came within inches of levelling from a pacy run and cross by Pranjic. Neuer, given a hostile reception throughout by the south terrace loyalists, comfortably claimed a first Schweinsteiger header but had to react sharply to save a second, and then stood up well to pluck a Robben drive out of the air.
The Dutch ace curled a shot a fraction wide, before Van Gaal made an attacking change on the hour, sending on Toni Kroos for Tymoshchuk. Two red shirts failed to get a touch to an inviting Robben set piece, but there was a moment’s concern for both sides when the winger collided with Neuer midway through the second half, a patently accidental challenge for which the Munich man was harshly booked.
A moment of panic and desperate defending in the FCB box saw Gustavo pick up an injury but continue after treatment, Neuer clutching a Kroos drive and Farfan spooning over the bar at the other end before Miro Klose could come on in place of Müller for the frantic closing stages. Gomez had a huge shout for a penalty waved away, before Daniel van Buyten took over from Gustavo in the last desperate push.
Schweinsteiger was crowded out just yards from goal, Neuer clung onto a Kroos blaster, and Ribery scuffed a clear chance to shoot, but it was all to no avail on another very poor day for the men from Munich.
Chris Hamley at the Allianz Arena for fcbayern.de
MATCH STATS
Bayern Munich - Schalke 04 0-1 (H-T: 0-1)
Bayern Munich: Kraft - Lahm, Tymoshchuk (Kroos 59), Breno, Pranjic - Schweinsteiger. Luiz Gustavo (Van Buyten 82) - Robben, Müller (Klose 77), Ribéry - Gomez
Substitutes: Butt, Badstuber, Ottl, Altintop
Schalke 04: Neuer - Uchida, Höwedes, Metzelder, Sarpei - Kluge, Matip, Annan (Papadopoulos 89) - Jurado (Draxler 61) - Raúl, Farfan
Referee: Mr Meyer (Burgdorf)
Spectators: 69,000 (capacity)
Goals: 0-1 Raul (15)
Yellow Cards: Lahm, Robben / Annan, Uchida
Credit: FC Bayern Munich (www.fcbayern.t-com.de)
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