FC Schalke came back strong to pull off a 1:1 stalemate against their eternal rivals Borussia Dortmund in the Revierderby. It was a game full of excitement and drama which included a last minute penalty controversy, a sending off for Schalke boss Markus Weinzierl and a debut goal for Schalke’s latest youth prodigy.
The Royal Blues were trailing thanks to Aubameyang’s goal earlier in the second half but 20 year old Thilo Kehrer was on hand to score the equalizer. The home side were so close to grabbing a winner late on, but the referee waved down a penalty incident in the final minute, which actually was pretty much a penalty. Here are the Schalke player ratings in the Derby clash with Dortmund.
Ralf Fahrmann(7.5/10): It was actually a good game for Ralf Fahrmann. The experienced goalkeeper had very little to do in the first half despite Dortmund dominating. Couldn’t really do anything for the Aubameyang goal either.
Coke(7/10): Made his first appearance for Schalke since coming in from Sevilla last summer. Coke did have some hard time keeping up with the marauding Marcel Schmelzer on the right flank.
Benedikt Howedes(7.5/10): It was a mixed performance from the Schalke captain. Was basically outclassed most of the time by Ousmane Dembele in the first half but came back strongly in the second half.
Matija Nastasic(8/10): Provided solid security in defence alongside Howedes. Nastasic was hardly put into trouble by Aubameyang. A great game for the former Man City defender.
Thilo Kehrer(9.5/10): An excellent game for the 20 year old fullback. He absolutely outshined fellow youngster Felix Passlack of Dortmund, who hardly had a sniff against Kehrer in the left flank. Also did really well to contain the opposition pressure. Got rewarded for his performance with a debut goal in the Bundesliga.
Leon Goretzka(8/10): An eventful outing for the German youth International. Had to battle with the likes of Castro and Kagawa in midfield and he did just that, with perfection.
Benjamin Stambouli(7/10): Partnered alongside Leon Goretzka in the middle. Was largely overshadowed by his industrious midfield partner in Goretzka.
Daniel Caligiuri(7.5/10): Played the role of a second wing back for Schalke. The new signing from Wolfsburg spent most of the time defending the pressure which was intense on the right flank. Had a decent game overall.
Nabil Bentaleb(7.5/10): Evidently struggled to outclass Weigl in the first phase of the game but grew in confidence as Schalke started to roar back momentarily.
Eric Maxim Choupo Moting(7.5/10): Wasn’t able to showcase his sheer pace due to Dortmund’s dominance in the first phase. However, his pace was very useful for the Royal Blues in the second half as Dortmund were caught several times on the counter attack.
Guido Burgstaller(8.5/10): Was surprisingly chosen ahead of the Schalke legend Klaas Jan Hunterlaar, and the new signing didn’t disappoint. Burgstaller showed exactly why he’s been such a dangerous forward ever since he arrived in the Bundesliga in January. Always on the shoulders of the last defender, keeping them busy throughout.
